All articles tagged with #trade networks
Archaeologists at Tapeh Tyalineh in western Iran uncovered over 7,000 seal impressions and related artifacts, signaling a sophisticated ancient administration and extensive trade across Western Asia; seals were used on goods, storage, and doors, suggesting a broad network of merchants. Dating is not yet absolute and researchers plan further work, with excavations slated to resume around 2027.
A Bronze Age arrowhead excavated in Switzerland has been found to be made from iron retrieved from a meteorite, possibly originating from Estonia. The discovery not only reveals the use of meteoritic iron in prehistoric times but also suggests the existence of extensive trade networks thousands of years ago. Iron meteorites were commonly used to make tools and weapons during the Bronze Age, but artifacts made from meteoritic iron are relatively rare in Europe. The arrowhead's composition matches a specific class of iron meteorite known as IAB meteorites, with the best match being the Kaalijarv meteorite from Estonia. The find highlights the need to search for similar objects in archaeological collections to identify their parent meteorites.