In recent years, the collaboration between archaeology and analytical chemistry has become indispensable for unraveling historical narratives. Isotopic analysis, in particular, has emerged as a highly effective method for distinguishing and tracing the origins of archaeological materials, often surpassing or enhancing the insights gained from traditional multi-elemental analysis in archaeometry studies. Among these techniques, lead (Pb) isotopic analysis has been extensively applied to ancient artifacts, providing valuable archaeological insights. As one of the earliest metals extracted from ores, Pb is commonly found in the composition of many ancient artifacts across archaeological sites. However, Pb isotopic analysis can sometimes face challenges, such as overlapping isotopic fingerprints from multiple ores or the likelihood that different sources of ores or recycled materials were used in creating a single object. To address these limitations, combining different isotopic systems can help resolve such ambiguities. In this regard, copper (Cu) isotopic analysis has proven to be a valuable complement to Pb isotope data for determining the provenance of copper ores used in the production of Bronze Age artifacts.

This study focuses on applying a combined multi-elemental and multi-isotopic analysis approach to determine the geographic origin of bronze artifacts discovered in various hoards across Slovenia, with a particular emphasis on two significant sites: Dragomelj and Stranice. In most hoards, the elemental composition of the artifacts was analyzed in combination with their shape and ornamentation to provide an initial determination of their provenance and age. However, to achieve a more accurate and precise understanding of the geographic origin of these artifacts, we utilized both Pb and Cu isotope ratio analysis in conjunction with elemental composition for a selected group of objects from the Dragomelj and Stranice hoards. Our findings demonstrate that the integrated approach of multi-element and isotopic analysis provides a more comprehensive picture of the raw material sources used in the production of Bronze Age artifacts and helped to clarify the trade and exchange networks in this region.