A group of Copper Age shaft-hole axes from Caput Adriae (northeastern Italy, western
Slovenia and northwestern Croatia) manufactured using meta-dolerite have been analysed for
major and trace elements. All the samples show magmatic textures and well recognizable
relicts of primary mineralogical phases. Petrographic observations suggest an ophiolitic
provenance of the protolithic source(s) while geochemical data indicate that the original
magmas originated in a fore arc or pre arc tectonic setting. Strong similarity has been found
with several lithotypes from the Banija Ophiolite Complex (Croatia), here indicated as the
most probable source area. Considering the available archaeometric data about shaft-hole
axes found in northern Italy and Caput Adriae in comparison to those of axe blades discovered
in the same area, it emerges that there is a utilization of different rock types, the source of
which appears to be quite close to the discovery sites. In the investigated area the shaft-hole
axes are largely made from ophiolitic-related rocks which are associated with copper deposits.
Consequently there may have been a relation between the localization of the geological
sources of shaft-hole axes and the development of metallurgical activities.
