CERAMIC CRUCIBLES FROM THE KOKSHAROVKA‑1 SETTLEMENT: NEW EVIDENCE OF METALWORKING IN THE SOUTHERN RUSSIAN FAR EAST DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
Abstract
This article presents materials from a study of a collection of ceramic crucibles obtained during excavations at one of the most interesting archaeological sites in the southern Russian Far East—the medieval settlement of Koksharovka‑1. This study represents the first systematic investigation of metal-melting crucibles as a distinct category of technical ceramics in Far Eastern archaeology. The research employed an integrated approach combining traditional archaeological analysis with physicochemical methods including scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The morphological and technological characteristics of the crucibles reveal specialized manufacturing techniques for containers designed for metal heat treatment. Traces of copper-, gold-, and silver-based alloys were identified on the crucible surfaces. For the first time, evidence has been obtained confirming local production of noble metal artifacts in the southern Far East during the medieval era.
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