Le forme da fusione della Città Bassa Settentrionale di Tell Mardikh-Ebla

Abstract

This article reports the analysis of nine moulds found in the Northern Palace and in an
extensive pit located in the northern lower town at Ebla (Syria), dating to a chronological period
spreading from Middle Bronze I and Middle Bronze II. The difficulties of this kind of study are
mainly the identification of the relationship between the shape of the casting and the final form of
the object, being the moulds often reused for different purposes, and the stratigraphic context of
those items, often found in secondary archaeological deposits - pits or dumping layers. It is not
always possible to match each item with its mould due to the fragmentary state of conservation of
nearly all the moulds. It is also difficult to date the moulds, especially those used to produce tools,
because tool shapes remain the same over a long period of time and cannot be used as a
diagnostic element in terms of period of production and use. Only few diagnostic and well
investigated weapons and tools constitute exceptions such as the fenestrated axes.
The aim of this study is an attempt to reconstruct context and function of these items and to
present a preliminary typology of the moulds used to cast different kinds of objects like weapons
and tools at Ebla during the Middle Bronze Age. Furthermore, the results of the investigations
carried out on the compositional features of two samples of clay moulds from Ebla are reported
herein. Minero-petrographic and chemical analyses were carried out in an attempt to define the
provenance of materials and to obtain additional information on the technology of mould
production.