A new algorithm is proposed that uses Pb isotopes to help identify the ore deposits utilized as sources of silver in Antiquity. The algorithm takes natural and analytical isotope fractionation into account. It proposes a statistical measure of the distances between the Pb isotope compositions of ores and artifacts. This measure is amenable to statistical tests at any confidence level. The new algorithm is applied to the Pb isotope compositions of the end-members derived from 368 new Pb isotope data on silver coinage minted between the late 6th to late 2nd centuries BCE and presented in Albarede et al. (2024). The algorithm identifies the local sources expected for the mints associated with major silver ores found in the territories of Athens, Thasos, and Thrace, while demonstrating that Thrace, Northern Macedonia, and Chalkidiki supplied notable amounts of bullion to Aegina and Ptolemaic Egypt. Minor proportions of what we are designating an old Sardinian ‘mix' created by long-distance trade was used by archaic Athens, Corinthia (Corinth and surrounding city-states), and Aegina. Various islands in the Cyclades (Siphnos, Keos, Seriphos) also appear to be early contributors to archaic Corinthian and Macedonian silver. The present study clearly demonstrates that recycled and mixed bullion formed a substantial part of the silver stocks of mints. The new algorithm warrants more detailed Pb isotopic studies of well-dated coinage to document the changing nature of silver fluxes over time.

提出了一种新算法，使用铅同位素来帮助识别古代用作银源的矿床。该算法考虑了自然和分析同位素分馏。它提出了矿石和人工制品的铅同位素组成之间距离的统计测量。该衡量标准适用于任何置信水平的统计检验。新算法应用于从公元前 6 世纪末至 2 世纪末铸造的银币上的 368 个新 Pb 同位素数据得出的端元 Pb 同位素组成，并在 Albarede 等人中提出。（2024）。该算法确定了与雅典、萨索斯和色雷斯地区发现的主要银矿石相关的铸币厂的当地来源，同时证明色雷斯、北马其顿和哈尔基迪基向埃伊纳岛和托勒密埃及提供了大量的金条。我们所指定的由长途贸易创造的古老撒丁岛“混合体”的一小部分被古代雅典、科林西亚（科林斯和周边城邦）和埃伊纳岛所使用。基克拉泽斯群岛的各个岛屿（Siphnos、Keos、Seriphos）似乎也是古代科林斯和马其顿白银的早期贡献者。本研究清楚地表明，回收和混合金条构成了造币厂白银库存的很大一部分。新算法保证了对过时铸币进行更详细的铅同位素研究，以记录银通量随时间变化的性质。