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Recent research in the Niari Basin, located along the southern border of the Republic of Congo, has revealed several copper production sites ranging from the 13th to 19th century CE. The evidence in this area, specifically at Mindouli, Mfouati and Boko-Songho, includes various production remains such as furnaces, tuyères, smelting slags and crucibles, as well as different types of copper ingots and artefacts (See Nikis, On Copper production in western central Africa in 2nd millennium AD, this conference). This region further has several copper-lead-zinc deposits that are not thoroughly characterised. In the context of a broader technological study of the copper metallurgy in the region, several of these ores have been analysed for their chemical and lead isotope composition. The results of these analyses are discussed in this presentation, with specific emphasis on the distinct features of each deposit - Mindouli, Mfouati and Boko-Songho - pertinent to copper provenance issues. Against this geological background, results of the chemical and lead isotope analysis of copper objects – primarily ingots – as well as other production remains from the archaeological sites are further presented. Combining this line of evidence with archaeological and historical evidence, complemented by a first reconstruction of manufacturing processes, new and significant insights are given on the production of copper in the Niari Basin. Thereby, the potential of this research as a pilot study for forthcoming work on the copper trade in a wider regional context is outlined.
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