• Skip to content (access key 1)
  • Skip to search (access key 7)
FWF — Austrian Science Fund
  • Go to overview page Discover

    • Research Radar
    • Discoveries
      • Emmanuelle Charpentier
      • Adrian Constantin
      • Monika Henzinger
      • Ferenc Krausz
      • Wolfgang Lutz
      • Walter Pohl
      • Christa Schleper
      • Anton Zeilinger
    • scilog Magazine
    • Awards
      • FWF Wittgenstein Awards
      • FWF START Awards
    • excellent=austria
      • Clusters of Excellence
      • Emerging Fields
    • In the Spotlight
      • 40 Years of Erwin Schrödinger Fellowships
      • Quantum Austria
    • Dialogs and Talks
      • think.beyond Summit
    • E-Book Library
  • Go to overview page Funding

    • Portfolio
      • excellent=austria
        • Clusters of Excellence
        • Emerging Fields
      • Projects
        • Principal Investigator Projects
        • Principal Investigator Projects International
        • Clinical Research
        • 1000 Ideas
        • Arts-Based Research
        • FWF Wittgenstein Award
      • Careers
        • ESPRIT
        • FWF ASTRA Awards
        • Erwin Schrödinger
        • Elise Richter
        • Elise Richter PEEK
        • doc.funds
        • doc.funds.connect
      • Collaborations
        • Specialized Research Groups
        • Special Research Areas
        • Research Groups
        • International – Multilateral Initiatives
        • #ConnectingMinds
      • Communication
        • Top Citizen Science
        • Science Communication
        • Book Publications
        • Digital Publications
        • Open-Access Block Grant
      • Subject-Specific Funding
        • AI Mission Austria
        • Belmont Forum
        • ERA-NET HERA
        • ERA-NET NORFACE
        • ERA-NET QuantERA
        • ERA-NET TRANSCAN
        • Alternative Methods to Animal Testing
        • European Partnership Biodiversa+
        • European Partnership ERA4Health
        • European Partnership ERDERA
        • European Partnership EUPAHW
        • European Partnership FutureFoodS
        • European Partnership OHAMR
        • European Partnership PerMed
        • European Partnership Water4All
        • Gottfried and Vera Weiss Award
        • netidee SCIENCE
        • Herzfelder Foundation Projects
        • Quantum Austria
        • Rückenwind Funding Bonus
        • WE&ME Award
        • Zero Emissions Award
      • International Collaborations
        • Belgium/Flanders
        • Germany
        • France
        • Italy/South Tyrol
        • Japan
        • Luxembourg
        • Poland
        • Switzerland
        • Slovenia
        • Taiwan
        • Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino
        • Czech Republic
        • Hungary
    • Step by Step
      • Find Funding
      • Submitting Your Application
      • International Peer Review
      • Funding Decisions
      • Carrying out Your Project
      • Closing Your Project
      • Further Information
        • Integrity and Ethics
        • Inclusion
        • Applying from Abroad
        • Personnel Costs
        • PROFI
        • Final Project Reports
        • Final Project Report Survey
    • FAQ
      • Project Phase PROFI
        • Accounting for Approved Funds
        • Labor and Social Law
        • Project Management
      • Project Phase Ad Personam
        • Accounting for Approved Funds
        • Labor and Social Law
        • Project Management
      • Expiring Programs
        • FWF START Awards
  • Go to overview page About Us

    • Mission Statement
    • FWF Video
    • Values
    • Facts and Figures
    • Annual Report
    • What We Do
      • Research Funding
        • Matching Funds Initiative
      • International Collaborations
      • Studies and Publications
      • Equal Opportunities and Diversity
        • Objectives and Principles
        • Measures
        • Creating Awareness of Bias in the Review Process
        • Terms and Definitions
        • Your Career in Cutting-Edge Research
      • Open Science
        • Open Access Policy
          • Open Access Policy for Peer-Reviewed Publications
          • Open Access Policy for Peer-Reviewed Book Publications
          • Open Access Policy for Research Data
        • Research Data Management
        • Citizen Science
        • Open Science Infrastructures
        • Open Science Funding
      • Evaluations and Quality Assurance
      • Academic Integrity
      • Science Communication
      • Philanthropy
      • Sustainability
    • History
    • Legal Basis
    • Organization
      • Executive Bodies
        • Executive Board
        • Supervisory Board
        • Assembly of Delegates
        • Scientific Board
        • Juries
      • FWF Office
    • Jobs at FWF
  • Go to overview page News

    • News
    • Press
      • Logos
    • Calendar
      • Post an Event
      • FWF Informational Events
    • Job Openings
      • Enter Job Opening
    • Newsletter
  • Discovering
    what
    matters.

    FWF-Newsletter Press-Newsletter Calendar-Newsletter Job-Newsletter scilog-Newsletter

    SOCIAL MEDIA

    • LinkedIn, external URL, opens in a new window
    • Twitter, external URL, opens in a new window
    • Facebook, external URL, opens in a new window
    • Instagram, external URL, opens in a new window
    • YouTube, external URL, opens in a new window

    SCILOG

    • Scilog — The science magazine of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
  • elane login, external URL, opens in a new window
  • Scilog external URL, opens in a new window
  • de Wechsle zu Deutsch

  

Tracking the Routes

Tracking the Routes

Mario Gavranovic (ORCID: 0000-0001-6249-1819)
  • Grant DOI 10.55776/PAT4481823
  • Funding program Principal Investigator Projects
  • Status ongoing
  • Start January 15, 2024
  • End January 14, 2028
  • Funding amount € 384,450
  • E-mail

Disciplines

Other Natural Sciences (30%); History, Archaeology (70%)

Keywords

    Bronze Age, Copper, Balkans, Archaeometallurgy, Italy, Trade Routes

Abstract

The research project will explore the prehistoric exchange network of the raw material copper by using both archaeological and analytical tools. In our previous FWF project (P32095, 2019 2023), we discovered a substantial influx of copper raw material from Trentino (North Italy) on the Late Bronze Age metallurgy (1400- 800 BC) in Southeastern Europe. Despite the abundant copper ore deposits, the local communities in the Balkans, particularly in the ore-rich region of Eastern Serbia, ceased domestic copper production around 1600 BC, signalling a significant cultural and economic transformation. The escalating demand for raw materials in the thriving local metallurgical sector necessitated the exploration of fresh sources and connections, and copper from Trentino emerged as a dominant resource for Balkan metallurgy. This current project seeks to meticulously investigate the intricate communication and trading routes between the regions in Italy and the Balkans. The Adriatic Sea on one side and the Sava River valley on the other represent the most likely connection routes taken. However, due to the absence of analytical results for metal objects from these intermediary areas, the extent and structure of copper supply networks still need to be elucidated. The primary objective of this study is to establish a chronological framework of the initial appearance of Trentino copper and reconstruct the distribution of raw material networks. Through focused case studies, we aim to explore the levels of interaction of various sub-districts and analyse the impact of long-lasting raw material supply on social transformation. By employing rigorous archaeological scrutiny and metal analyses, including trace elements and lead isotopes, we intend to expand our existing dataset. The use analyses will enable us to confirm the potential presence of copper from other European production regions, such as Austria (Mitterberg) or Slovakia. Our sampling strategy will encompass archaeological, chronological, and topographical considerations, supported by Least-Cost-Path analysis for reconstructing ancient routes. This interdisciplinary study represents the first attempt to integrate archaeology and metal analyses to shed light on the transfer of a crucial commodity between Italy and the Balkans during the Bronze Age. The results of our project will significantly reshape perceptions of prehistoric developments in the region spanning the Alps, Adriatic Sea, and the Balkans, particularly concerning the circulation of copper and its impact on contacts and exchanges.

Research institution(s)
  • Universität Wien - 38%
  • Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften - 62%
Project participants
  • Grömer Karina, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien , national collaboration partner
  • Mathias Mehofer, Universität Wien , associated research partner
International project participants
  • Daria Loznjak Dizdar, Institute of Archaeology, Zagreb - Croatia
  • Boris Kratofil - Croatia
  • Celhar Martina - Croatia
  • Condic Natalija - Croatia
  • Kliskic Damir - Croatia
  • Podrug Emil - Croatia
  • Ernst Pernicka, Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archäometrie - Germany
  • Molloy Barry - Ireland
  • Cecilia Conati Barbaro - Italy
  • Gilberto Artioli, University of Padua - Italy

Discovering
what
matters.

Newsletter

FWF-Newsletter Press-Newsletter Calendar-Newsletter Job-Newsletter scilog-Newsletter

Contact

Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
Georg-Coch-Platz 2
(Entrance Wiesingerstraße 4)
1010 Vienna

office(at)fwf.ac.at
+43 1 505 67 40

General information

  • Job Openings
  • Jobs at FWF
  • Press
  • Philanthropy
  • scilog
  • FWF Office
  • Social Media Directory
  • LinkedIn, external URL, opens in a new window
  • Twitter, external URL, opens in a new window
  • Facebook, external URL, opens in a new window
  • Instagram, external URL, opens in a new window
  • YouTube, external URL, opens in a new window
  • Cookies
  • Whistleblowing/Complaints Management
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Data Protection
  • Acknowledgements
  • Social Media Directory
  • © Österreichischer Wissenschaftsfonds FWF
© Österreichischer Wissenschaftsfonds FWF