METALLURGICAL SLAGS AND ORE FRAGMENTS FROM THE KAMENNY AMBAR BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENT (SOUTHERN URALS): A KEY TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF COPPER SOURCES

Keywords: metallurgical slags, Bronze Age, Kamenny Ambar, South Ural, copper ores, mineral inclusions

Abstract

The paper presents the characteristics of metallurgical slags and copper ore fragments from the Kamenny Ambar settlement of the Bronze Age. According to the mineral and chemical compositions we have distinguished two types of the slags: Cr-rich spinel containing olivine slags and sulfide-containing olivine slags. The Cr-rich spinel containing olivine slags are the product of oxidized ore from the copper deposits in ultramafic rocks exploited in the early Sintashta-Petrovka period the settlement functioning. The sulfide-containing olivine slags are the result of the secondary sulfide ores from the massive-sulfide, and less likely copper porphyry deposits during the latter Srubnaya-Alakul period. A similar change in the copper ore raw material type was also recorded in other Bronze Age settlements in the Southern Urals. In the Kamenny Ambar settlement and analogs, we have defined the main indicating minerals which allow us to determine the source for the Cu raw metal in historical time: Cr-rich spinels, sulfides, and tourmalines.

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Author Biographies

M.N. Ankushev, 1 Institute of Mineralogy SU FRC MG UB RAS; Institute of History and Archaeology UB RAS

Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Junior Researcher, Institute of History and Archaeology UB RAS; Junior Researcher, Institute of Mineralogy SU FRC MG UB RAS

V.V. Zaykov, Institute of Mineralogy SU FRC MG UB RAS

Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Professor, Institute of Mineralogy SU FRC MG UB RAS

Ivan V. Molchanov, Institute of History and Archaeology UB RAS

Candidate of Historical Sciences, Researcher, Center of Metal Age Archaeology

L.N. Koryakova

Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Acting Head of the Center of Metal Age Archaeology, Chief Researcher, Institute of History and Archeology UB RAS

Sofya E. Panteleyeva, Institute of History and Archaeology UB RAS

Candidate of Historical Sciences, Senior Researcher, Scientific Secretary of the Center of Metal Age Archaeology

A.M. Yuminov, Institute of History and Archaeology UB RAS

Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Senior Researcher, Institute of Mineralogy SU FRC MG UB RAS

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Published
2021-03-25
How to Cite
Ankushev M., Zaykov V., Molchanov I. V., Koryakova L., Panteleyeva S. E., Yuminov A. METALLURGICAL SLAGS AND ORE FRAGMENTS FROM THE KAMENNY AMBAR BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENT (SOUTHERN URALS): A KEY TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF COPPER SOURCES // THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 2021. Vol. 33, № 1. P. 34-57 DOI: 10.14258/tpai(2021)33(1).-03. URL: http://journal.asu.ru/tpai/article/view/9364.
Section
SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH