TY - JOUR

T1 - Late Krotovo (Cherno-Ozerye) Burials with Casting Molds from Tartas-1, Baraba Forest-Steppe

AU - Molodin, V. I.

AU - Durakov, I. A.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - We describe five burials with casting molds from the Late Krotovo (Cherno-Ozerye) cemetery Tartas-1 in the Baraba forest-steppe. Three of them form a distinct group belonging to two parallel rows of graves. One of the reconstructed molds was destined for casting Seima-Turbino-type celts, the other, for manufacturing thin rods, round in section. One kernel was used for making a hollow in a tiny chisel-like tool. All molds are made of clay and bear traces of prolonged use. They were made using a bottom board; molding mixture was smoothed and tamped, excessive material was removed with a narrow-bladed cutting tool, and lines were drawn on the raw surface. Certain graves with molding tools were single, others were collective. All basic age and sex groups are represented: adults, adolescents, women and children, apparently suggesting that all were involved in manufacture, and the skills were transmitted from one generation to another: Because children were involved too, status was heritable. Emphasis on bronze casting in the funerary rite, virtually without traces of other specializations, indicates a separate social stratum, whose share was no higher than 4 %. Obviously, not all its members were professional casters; some may have participated occasionally.

AB - We describe five burials with casting molds from the Late Krotovo (Cherno-Ozerye) cemetery Tartas-1 in the Baraba forest-steppe. Three of them form a distinct group belonging to two parallel rows of graves. One of the reconstructed molds was destined for casting Seima-Turbino-type celts, the other, for manufacturing thin rods, round in section. One kernel was used for making a hollow in a tiny chisel-like tool. All molds are made of clay and bear traces of prolonged use. They were made using a bottom board; molding mixture was smoothed and tamped, excessive material was removed with a narrow-bladed cutting tool, and lines were drawn on the raw surface. Certain graves with molding tools were single, others were collective. All basic age and sex groups are represented: adults, adolescents, women and children, apparently suggesting that all were involved in manufacture, and the skills were transmitted from one generation to another: Because children were involved too, status was heritable. Emphasis on bronze casting in the funerary rite, virtually without traces of other specializations, indicates a separate social stratum, whose share was no higher than 4 %. Obviously, not all its members were professional casters; some may have participated occasionally.

KW - Bronze Age

KW - metal-working

KW - burials

KW - casting molds

KW - Late Krotovo (Cherno-Ozerye) culture

U2 - 10.17746/1563-0110.2018.46.2.025-034

DO - 10.17746/1563-0110.2018.46.2.025-034

M3 - Article

VL - 46

SP - 25

EP - 34

JO - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

JF - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

SN - 1563-0110

IS - 2

ER -