Angela
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The pottery from the Calcolithic culture of Monte Claro in Sardinia (2700-2200 bc) resembles that of the Fontbouisse culture in Southern France. Stone Fortifications are present in both cultures. Copper blades were largely used by the people of the Monte Claro culture and their stelae statues depicted male figures with daggers. Crucibles, hammers, grinders and metal slags belonging to this phase were also found. While the earliest real swords to show up in the Western Mediterranean area (1700-1600 bc) appear in Sardinia with the Bonnannaro (Early Nuragic) culture and in South Eastern Iberia with the Late Argaric culture, the swords are similar and this has led archaeologists to think that there were contacts between the Sardinian and Iberian elites: http://www.academia.edu/1138694/LE_...E_DEREIVAZIONE_DAI_PUGNALI_CAMPANIFORME._2012
Yes, all very suggestive of these interconnections.
My point, however, was solely about the fact that copper-working, metallurgy, spread from the east. In terms of Europe, we know that it was centered in the Balkans. Then we see a spread of copper working along the Mediterranean, including a very early copper mine in Liguria. All of that is suggestive to me of exploration and exploitation along the northern Mediterranean littoral. Copper working did not arise in Iberia. It arrived from elsewhere. If large groups of people came with it is speculative until we get ancient dna.
We discussed some of this in this thread.
https://www.eupedia.com/forum/threa...in-Europe/page3?highlight=copper+mine+Liguria