Poster of Jebel Khalid Volume 7: The Metals

Jebel Khalid is an important archaeological site – a Hellenistic military colony of the Seleucid era. Within its massive curtain walls, watchtowers and gates, the lives of its inhabitants are manifest in the numerous monumental buildings, houses, work areas, and diverse cultural remains. Overlooking the Euphrates river in northern Syria, the site was likely founded by Seleucus I Nicator early in the third century BC, enduring for nearly three centuries before ending with the collapse of the Seleucid Empire.This seventh and final report in the Jebel Khalid series presents the nearly 4000 metal finds recovered over almost a quarter of a century of Australian fieldwork at the site. The report includes catalogues, illustrations, and commentaries. Chronological and sequencing details from previous reports are synthesized in order to frame the narrative and cultural significance of the metals during the site’s major periods of activity. Iron was found to be ubiquitous at Jebel Khalid in all periods, and used not only in tools, weapons, and fasteners but also as a common metallic contrast in adornments and personal objects. The colony relied on cheap lead or lead-rich scraps to bulk up copper-based products used for domestic ware, fine tools, and adornments. Evidence from several metalworking spaces in the temple and palace precincts confirms that workshops repaired and repurposed objects, as well as forged and cast products from pre-manufactured stock and scrap-metal. Many objects reflect varied and complex cultural influences – there are classes of finds that represent local styles and practices, whereas others come from a Greek-Macedonian tradition; others still appear to have associations from as far afield as the western Mediterranean.Hellenistic metalwork is often presented from a fine arts or antiquarian perspective. Rarely is there an opportunity to consider such a large and detailed reference of metal objects from the Seleucid era with archaeological provenience. Many aspects of the Hellenistic military colony are represented in the report through cultural objects that are predominately ordinary and commonplace. They provide new insights into the lives of the ancient colonists and locals. Sadly, since the onset of the civil war in Syria, Jebel Khalid has been significantly damaged by looting and fighting. Objects and samples stored for processing and future archiving have been lost, including most of those presented in this work. One of the most important aims of this final report of the Jebel Khalid metals, therefore, is to ensure that as much of the archaeological record as possible is formally documented and transmitted.

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