S10-8

Production and Distribution of Iron in the Angkor Kingdom: Evolution of Technical Practices and Networks Between Smelters and Consumers (9th - 15th c.)

Stéphanie Leroy1, Mitch Hendrickson2, Emmanuelle Delqué-Kolic3, Enrique Vega1, Venunan Pira4, Brice Vincent5, Michael Brauns6

1LAPA–IRAMAT, NIMBE, CEA, CNRS, CEA Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, France

2Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago, U.S.A.

3LMC14-LSCE, CEA, CNRS, IRD, CEA Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, France

4Silpakorn University, Thailand

5Ecole française d’Extrême-Orient, France

6CEZA laboratory, Germany

Since 2014, a transdisciplinary project has been documenting the technical practices and organization of iron smelting activities within the territory of the Angkorian kingdom. This research project applies a holistic approach to archaeometallurgical analyses developed at the interface between field studies, material sciences, and data analysis. A vast archaeometallurgical database has been constructed from the analysis of waste products of iron smelting operations, the investigation of finished products found in use context, and from contextual (spatial and chronological) data from the sites. On a large scale of investigation, it is possible to observe an evolution through space and time of technical practices and of relationships between the smelters and the consumers. Important shifts in the production and distribution networks that related to the political and cultural fluctuations of the Angkorian state can be evidenced. At a local level, we can investigate the logistics of supply, and use or storage of metal products at various sites. This paper discusses some results obtained at these two scales of investigation by presenting, first, the production behaviour that took place around Phnom Dek (Cambodia) over a period of 1400 years; second, the data obtained on the origin and period of production of the iron armatures related to the Prakhon Chai bronzes (7th-9th c., Buriram province, Thailand). Through these two examples, we will demonstrate the methods developed specifically to reveal and describe these patterns.