Identifying Episodes of Recycling in the Archaeological Record

Jonathan Wood provides a thought-provoking discussion of the fundamental role of glass and metal recycling in provenance analyses. Reversing a well-rooted perspective, the author points out that considering recycling should be a preliminary step in archaeometric analyses and not a simple explanation for blurred results.

Discussing several case studies ranging from New Kingdom Egypt to Roman and Parthian Mesopotamia, Wood also advocates for the use of a multi-analytical approach, warning against relying solely on a single source of data. Only the reliable identification of recycled materials in the archaeological record can lead to a better knowledge of productive and trade chains, and therefore to the creation of a sound and less simplistic economic history.