La frammentazione del metallo nei ripostigli del Bronzo tardo. Un caso studio dai Balcani occidentali

The phenomenon of metal fragmentation is typical of European hoards of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages (1650/1550- 900/800 BCE). Quantitative and metrological analyses of bronze fragments from Italian and Central European hoards have demonstrated that the weight of bronze fragments is intentionally regulated. Statistical analyses show the existence of a consistent system of multiples aligned with contemporary weight systems, suggesting the use of fragments as weighted money. In this article, we analyzed a sample of 31 hoards and approximately 1400 Late Bronze Age objects (1350/1300- 900/800 BCE) from a previously unexplored area: Western Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Quantitative analyses reveal that fragmentation is a systematic phenomenon throughout the Late Bronze Age, with percentages comparable to other European regions, while metrological analyses confirm the consistency of fragments with the same system of multiples identified in Italy and Central Europe.