Paper short abstract:

This paper inquires about the ambiguous notion of toxicity through the archaeological evidence of arsenic-copper producers during the Early Bronze Age in Anatolia. It is based on analyses of prehistoric material complemented with socio-cultural anthropological contextualization and interpretation.

Paper long abstract:

Metal smelting, which during the 5th millennium BCE originated in the Balkans, Taurus and the Zagros Mountains, later spread to Western Anatolia. Within the latter region, archaeologists recently excavated a metal smelting village dating to the Early Bronze Age (3,000-2700 BCE). The site of Çukuriçi Höyük has been identified as the intentional co-smelting site for the production of arsenic-copper tools and weapons. Arsenic (As), naturally occurs in combination with sulfur and metals. Today, arsenic poisoning is a medical condition that occurs due to the elevated levels of arsenic in the body and arsenic toxicity is a global health problem affecting many millions of people. In contrast to today's global awareness of arsenic toxicity, a radically different perception of arsenic can be understood from the archaeological record. Dwellers at Çukuriçi Höyük smelted arsenic copper within households, in the ovens that were simultaneously used for cooking. If arsenic posed risk both during the Bronze Age and today, then this case study showcases that toxicity can be locally and historically perceived radically different than today. Through the contextualization of archaeological data, this paper highlights the everyday lived experiences of these toxic flows from the anthropological perspectives. By analyzing arsenic toxicity within domestic spaces reflected in material data, the paper showcases how and why people dwelled within toxic households during the Early Bronze Age in Western Anatolia.