Abstract
Sickles dated to the Period HaA (12-11 cent. B.C.) discovered in three hoards of Slovenia, in Crmosnjice, Debeli Vrh, and Jurka Vas were investigated by optical microscopy, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The sickles were made of tin bronze and du purehu copper. All the sickles were cast in sandstone moulds. The presence of Cu₂S and FeS in all the investigated sickles indicates that the artefacts were prepared directly from primary raw materials. The concentration of four impurities (As, Sb, Ni, Co) suggests that the same raw material was used in manufacturing sickles. Some of them were cold smithed, while the others were not. The distribution of (α+Cu₂S) eutectics permits a conclusion that the sickles were cast in the upright position, with the blades downwards.

Key words
optical microscopy, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), As, Sb, Ni, Co

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