TECHNOLOGICAL PECULIARITIES OF FERROUS METALLURGY IN THE SOUTHERN URALS IN THE GOLDEN HORDE PERIOD BASED ON THE MATERIALS FROM THE YABALAKLY‑1 SETTLEMENT AND PRODUCTION SITES OF THE BELSKO‑ URSHAK INTERFLUVE
Abstract
The study of craft production technology is a priority topic in archaeology, and therefore, the examination of materials from medieval domestic and production sites is of great interest. This research considers the analysis of new materials for characterizing the raw material base, iron smelting sites, and the interconnections between metallurgical sites of the 13th-14th centuries, geographically located within the Belsko- Urshak watershed and materials from the Yabalakly-1 settlement of Chiyalik culture. X-ray and archepmetallographic analysis of slag and artifacts allowed for the determination of technological features of ferrous metallurgy. The majority of items were of high-quality forging. The raw materials used included simple and phosphorescent iron, bloomery and cemented steel. Knives and adzes were distinguished by their high quality. Several well-reproduced technological schemes were identified on them: solid steel, forge welding, and three- layer composite. In isolated cases, poorly made forgings with a large number of slag inclusions and signs of overheating were recorded. Among these were sickles and stirrups. It was established that cauldrons were cast from white and gray cast iron. The studied slags had a heterogeneous chemical composition. Special iron foundry slags have been identified. The continuation of work in this territorial and chronological range will make it possible to clarify the modes of metallurgical smelting and the nature of the blacksmithing craft of the Southern Urals.
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