Deposition of Base Ore and Alloy Elements in the Bronze Age Metal in the Trans-Urals

Authors

  • Sergey V. Bogdanov Institute of the Steppe, Orenburg Federal Research Center, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
  • Vladislav A. Bulatov Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Academician A. N. Zavaritsky of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
  • Olga N. Кorochkova Ural Federal University
  • Ivan A. Spiridonov Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin
  • Vitaly V. Tkachev Institute of the Steppe, Orenburg Federal Research Center (OFRC), Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu02.2023.415

Abstract

The paper studies the problems of the geochemical specialization of the Bronze Age metal items from the eastern flank of the Ural mining and metallurgical province produced at the end of the third millennium BC — the middle of the second millennium BC in the Abashevo, Sintashta, Koptyakov-Seimino and the Alakul centers. The metal geochemical markers determination was performed by means of a local quantitative chemical composition analysis of 101 solid samples with an electron X-ray microanalyzer. The selection consisted of a representative series of copper and bronze items corresponding to various stages of metallurgical conversion process from the classic archaeological sites of the Trans-Urals. Systematization of the analytical data on the chemistry of items from each metal production center made it possible to identify stable compositions of micro-impurities associated with the base ores and alloys. The Abashevo and the Sintashta culture metal demonstrated a stable correlation of excess arsenic and nickel concentrations, which was partly due to the use of the Trans-Urals ores with a high content of these elements, however, the most significant concentration of arsenic (from 2 to 5 %) was observed in the finished items rather than in refined copper ingots or semi-finished products, which may indicate intentional alloying. Tin alloys in the Sintashta culture were quite rare; they demonstrated the same chemistry as the Seimin-Turbino metallurgical traditions. Large-scale use of tin for refined copper alloying was observed only in the Koptyakov-Seimino and the Alakul series. The Alakul series contained some high-tin alloying compositions close to the ideal tin bronzes (18 % Sn). It is possible that the sources of tin for them were the Kazakhstan and the Central Asia deposits. The only impurity integrating the entire ancient metal series, according to microprobe analysis, was sulfur, due to the sulfide feed stock. Sulfur was deposited in blister from the high-copper (above 20 % Cu) sulfide-silica-carbonate mineral blends that met the Bronze Age metal production criteria. The sources of raw materials were associated with the secondary sulfides of the ophiolite deposits hypergenesis zones in the Trans-Urals.

Keywords:

copper ores, secondary copper sulphides, alloying, microprobe analysis, metallurgical centers, Abashevo, Sintashta, Koptyakovo, Alakul cultures

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
 

Author Biographies

Sergey V. Bogdanov, Institute of the Steppe, Orenburg Federal Research Center, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

PhD (History), Associate Professor, Leading Researcher

Vladislav A. Bulatov, Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Academician A. N. Zavaritsky of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Junior Researcher

Olga N. Кorochkova, Ural Federal University

Dr. Sci. (History)

Ivan A. Spiridonov, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin

Laboratory Assistant-researcher

Vitaly V. Tkachev, Institute of the Steppe, Orenburg Federal Research Center (OFRC), Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

PhD (History), Associate Professor

References

Литература

Bogdanov S. V. Tekhnologicheskie algoritmy pastusheskoi modeli metalloproizvodstva bronzovogo veka stepnykh regionov Severnoi Evrazii. Ural’skii istoricheskii vestnik, 2020, no. 4 (69), рр. 6–14. (In Russian)

Bogdanov S. V. Pilotnye arheometallurgicheskie eksperimenty po vosstanovleniiu medi iz rudnyh koncentratov Kargalov. Analiticheskie issledovaniia laboratorii estestvennonauchnyh metodov, vol. 5. Moscow, TAUS Publ., 2021, pp. 78–103. (In Russian)

Bogdanov C. V. Spetsifika rudnogo protolita v metallurgii bronzovogo veka stepnogo Priural’ia. Arheologiia Evraziiskih stepei, 2022, no. 2, pp. 206–217. (In Russian)

Bochkarev V. S. Srubno-alakul’skaia zona metalloproizvodstva epohi pozdnei bronzy. Arheologiia Vostochno-Evropeiskoi stepi, 2013, issue 10, Saratov, Saratov State University Press, pp. 75–83. (In Russian)

Borzunov V. A., Stefanov V. I., Bel’tikova G. V., Kuz’minykh S. V. Sernyi Klyuch — pamiatnik abashevskoi “ekspeditsii” v gorno-lesnuiu zonu Srednego Urala. Rossiiskaia arheologiia, 2020, no. 1, рр. 117–131.(In Russian)

Brovender Y. M., Shubin Y. P. Eksperimenty po vyplavke medi iz rud Kartamyshskogo rudoproiavleniia Donbassa. Arheologiya vostochnoevropejskoj lesostepi. Voronezh, Voronezh State University Press, 2009, pp. 114–123. (In Russian)

Bushmakin A. F. Metallicheskie predmety iz kurgana 25 Bol’shekaraganskogo mogil’nika. Arkaim: nekropol’ (po materialam kurgana 25 Bol’shekaraganskogo mogil’nika), vol. 1. Cheliabinsk, Iuzhno-Ural’skoe knizhnoe izdatel’stvo Publ., 2002, pp. 132–144. (In Russian)

Chemiakin Iu. P. Korkino I. Ural’skaia istoricheskaia entsiklopediia. Ekaterinburg, Akademkniga Publ., 2000, pp. 30, 281–282. (In Russian)

Chernyh E. N., Kuz’minyh S. V. Drevniaia metallurgiia Severnoi Azii. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1989, 320 p. (In Russian)

Chernyh E. N. Kargaly, vol. V. Moscow, Iazyki slavianskoi kul’tury Publ., 2007, 200 p. (In Russian)

Chernyh E. N. Kul’tury nomadov v megastrukture Evraziiskogo mira, vol. 1. Moscow, Iazyki slavianskoi kul’tury Publ., 2013, 368 p. (In Russian)

Gening V. F., Zdanovich G. B., Gening V. V. Sintashta. Cheliabinsk, Iuzhno-Ural’skoe knizhnoe izdatel’stvo Publ., 1992, 408 p. (In Russian)

Hadlun T. N. Mineralogiia zony okisleniia kolchedannogo mestorozhdeniia Blyava na Iuzhnom Urale. Trudy Instituta geologicheskikh nauk. Seriia: Rudnye mestorozhdeniia, 1948, no. 11, 102 p. (In Russian)

Korenevskii S. N., Yudin A. I. Chekon — poselenie rannego bronzovogo veka Zapadnogo Predkavkaz’ia (po raskopkam 2018 g.). Moscow, Saratov, Institut arkheologii RAN Press, 2023, 222 p. (In Russian)

Ermolaeva A. S., Rusanov I. A. Eksperimental’noe modelirovanie metallurgicheskikh pechei poseleniia Taldysai. Trudy Instituta arkheologii im. A. H. Margulana, vol. IV. Almaty, Institut arkheologii im. A. H. Margulana Press, 2022, 160 p. (In Russian)

Killick D. From Ores to Metall. Archaeometallurgy in Global Perspective. Methods and Syntheses. New York, Springer, 2014, pp. 11–46.

Korochkova O. N., Stefanov V. I., Spiridonov I. A. Sviatilishche pervykh metallurgov Srednego Urala.Ekaterinburg, Ural University Press, 2020, 214 p. (In Russian)

Pazuhin V. A. Mednye slitki iz Orenburgskogo muzeia. Sovetskaia arkheologiia, 1969, no. 4, pp. 239–245. (In Russian)

Ryndina N. V., Ravich I. G. Metall maikopskoi kul’tury Severnogo Kavkaza v svete analiticheskikh issledovanii. Moscow, KDU, Universitetskaia kniga Publ., 2019, 236 p. (In Russian)

Smirnov K. F., Kuz’mina E. E. Proiskhozhdenie indoirantsev v svete noveishikh arkheologicheskikh otkrytii. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1977, 82 p. (In Russian)

Stefanov V. I., Korochkova O. N. Andronovskie drevnosti Tiumenskogo Pritobol’ia. Ekaterinburg, Poligrafist Publ., 2000, 108 p. (In Russian)

Stefanov V. I., Korochkova O. N. Urefty I: zaural’skii pamiatnik v andronovskom kontekste)

Tatarinov S. I. Drevnii metall Vostochnoi Ukrainy. Ocherki rekonstruktsii gornogo dela, metallurgii i metalloobrabotki v epokhu bronzy (uchebnoe posobie). Artyomovsk, [S. n.], 1993, 153 p. (In Russian)

Tkachev V. V. Formirovanie kul’turnogo landshafta Ural’sko-Mugodzharskogo regiona v pozdnem bronzovom veke: osvoenie mednorudnykh resursov i strategiia adaptatsii k usloviiam gorno-stepnoi ekosistemy. Stratum Plus, 2017, no. 2, рp. 205–230. (In Russian)

Tkachev V. V., Bogdanov S. V. Naznachenie pechei shahtnogo tipa Zapadnoaziatskoi metallurgicheskoi provintsii. Ural’skii istoricheskii vestnik, 2022, no. 4 (77), pp. 41–54. (In Russian)

Shishlina N. I., Loboda A. Iu., Bogdanov S. V., Vaschenkova E. S., Tereschenko E. Iu. Sickles from the Sosnovaya Maza hoard of the Late Bronze Age from the Lower Volga region: Technological analyses, experiments and chronology. Journal of Archaeological Science, 2022, vol. 44, p. 103539. https://doi. org/10.1016/J.Jasrep.2022.

Shubin Y. P. Prognozno-poiskovoe znachenie geologicheskikh dannykh pri provedenii arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v Bakhmutskoi kotlovine Donbassa (rezul’taty predvaritel’nykh issledovanii). Arheologiia vostochnoevropeiskoi lesostepi, 2003, issue 17. Voronezh, Voronezh State University Press, pp. 118. (In Russian)

Stöllner T., Gontscharov A. Social Practice and the Exchange of Metals and Metallurgical Knowledge in 2nd Millennium Central Asia. Metalla., 2020, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 45–76

Zaikov V. V., Kotlyarov V. A., Zaikova E. V. Sostav metallicheskikh vkliuchenii v drevnikh shlakakh Iuzhnogo Urala. Trudy II Vserossiiskogo arheologicheskogo s’’ezda v Suzdale. Vol. 1. Moscow, Institut arheologii RAN Press, 2008, pp. 400–402. (In Russian)

Zaikov V. V., Melekestseva I. Iu., Artemiev D. A., Simonov V. A., Iuminov A. M., Dunaev A. Yu. Geologiia i kolchedannoe orudenenie iuzhnogo flanga Glavnogo Ural’skogo razloma. Miass, Institut mineralogii Ural’skogo otdeleniia RAN Press, 2009, 376 p. (In Russian)

Zaikov V. V., Iuminov A. M., Zaikova E. V., Tairov A. D. Osnovy geoarkheologii. Chelyabinsk, Izdatel’skii tsentr Iuzhno-Ural’skogo universiteta Press, 2011, 263 p. (In Russian)

Zaikov V. V., Iuminov A. M., Tkachev V. V. Mednye rudniki, hromitsoderzhashchie mednye rudy i shlaki Ishkininskogo arkheologicheskogo mikroraiona (Iuzhnyi Ural). Arkheologiia, etnografiia i antropologiiaEvrazii. 2012, no. 2 (50), pp. 37–46. (In Russian)

Zasedateleva S. N., Tkachev V. V. Novye materialy bronzovogo veka iz Vostochnogo Orenburzh’ia. Problemy izucheniia eneolita i bronzovogo veka Iuzhnogo Urala. Orsk, Institut Evraziiskih issledovanii Press, 2000, pp. 126–140. (In Russian)

Downloads

Published

2023-12-30

How to Cite

Bogdanov, S. V., Bulatov, V. A., Кorochkova O. N., Spiridonov, I. A., & Tkachev, V. V. (2023). Deposition of Base Ore and Alloy Elements in the Bronze Age Metal in the Trans-Urals. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. History, 68(4), 1104–1140. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu02.2023.415

Issue

Vol. 68 No. 4 (2023)

Section

Archeology

License

Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. History" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.