Metallurgical investigations on two sword blades of 7th and 3rd century B.C. found in central Italy

摘要

This study aims at casting new light about the knowledge of the metallurgical techniques developed by the Etruscan and the Romans during their political and cultural interactions in Central Italy. The analysis of two weapons found at the Etruscan sites of Vetulonia and Chiusi have pointed out some new information about the production process performed. The optical microscopy analysis has allowed to identify the sequence of the microstructural constituents present in the two ancient weapons. SEM-EDS has permitted to identify the chemical composition of the non metallic inclusion and to estimate the average temperature of the reduction process. The analysis of the metal matrix performed by a coupled argon plasma spectrometer permitted to measure the average chemical compositions of the studied alloys. SEM-EBSD analysis has allowed to identify the crystallographic textures present within the different zones of the sword blades and this has indicated the realization of a forming process that gave interesting mechanical properties to the metal products. The results obtained by the Etruscans artisans were of very high standard quality and their production system had been certainly assimilated by the Romans who found in them a strategic factor to increase their power.