Kazburun Archaeological Micro-district of the Late Bronze Age and Copper Ore Mines in the Southern Trans-Urals

Abstract

AbstractThe Late Bronze Age in the Southern Trans-Urals is represented by a large number of archaeological cultures and population groups, including Srubnaya and Andronovo (Alakul). New analyses currently applied to bronze wares of the Late Bronze Age, once again raise the matter of copper-ore sources of bronze metallurgy of the Late Bronze Age in the Southern (Bashkir) Trans-Urals. The analysis to bronze materials in the Southern (Bashkir) Trans-Urals and northern part of the Kargaly mines (the Saygachy mines), such as light microscopy techniques, sample examination by scanning electron microscope, X-ray electron probe method of elemental analysis, neutron activation analysis, and isotopic analysis of lead, puts forward a topic of materials gathering in copper-ore sources. Another matter is studying of the bronze production technology at the settlements of the Kazburun archaeological micro-district of the Southern (Bashkir) Trans-Urals. The Kazburun archaeological micro-district dates to the Late Bronze Age (1770–1630 Cal BCE).KeywordsMinesCopperTinBronzeMetallurgyLate bronze ageSrubnaya and Andronovskaya cultures