Heterogeneous Production and Enchained Consumption: Minoan Gold in a Changing World (ca. 2000 BCE)

Early and Middle Minoan goldwork has sparked numerous studies, with particular emphasis on possible foreign influences the role of gold in development social hierarchies. This paper contends that value uses can only be understood connection to broader organization production distribution. Through a biographical approach, we focus high-resolution study, including chemical microscopic analyses, 90 samples from assemblages found at Mochlos, Sissi, Hagios Charalambos. Our results show beneath apparent simplicity designs techniques, there is variety technological choices skill levels are suggestive involvement multiple hands. technical analyses reveal objects long life histories uses, reuses, repairs, as well instances deliberate fragmentation through cutting, tearing, or separation object parts. With complex shared production, curation, reuse, fragmentation, recontextualization did not conclude burial, artifacts connected dead living way strengthened predominantly horizontal relationships. evidence should therefore considered discussions emergence complexity. approach shows promise for studies metalwork elsewhere.