TY - JOUR

T1 - New data on iron-smelting sites in the Kuektanar and Turgun valleys, Southeastern Altai

AU - Agatova, A. R.

AU - Nepop, R. K.

AU - Slyusarenko, I. Y.

AU - Panov, V. S.

N1 - Funding Information: The study was performed under Public Contract (Project No. 0330-2016-0015); archaeological studies were supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 14-50-00036), geological and geomorphological studies, including radiocarbon dating, were supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 16-05-01035). Funding Information: The study was performed under Public Contract (Project No. 0330-2016-0015); archaeological studies were supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 14-50-00036), geological and geomorphological studies, including radiocarbon dating, were supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 16-05-01035). The authors express appreciation to V.S. Myglan (Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk) and N.I. Bykov (Altai State University, Barnaul) for consultation and for determination of the species composition of tree vegetation that was used for charring, and to A.V. Korsakov (V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy SB RAS, Novosibirsk) for determination of the mineral composition of slags. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 A.R. Agatova, R.K. Nepop, I.Y. Slyusarenko, V.S. Panov.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - This paper presents the findings relating to iron-smelting furnaces in the Kuektanar and Turgun valleys of the Russian Altai, which were part of the Chuya-Kurai metallurgical province and are undergoing rapid erosion. On the Chuya River, downstream of the mouth of the Kuektanar, we discovered hitherto unknown (and completely eroded) remains of furnaces. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal fragments from smelting furnaces (bloomeries) at Kuektanar-1 and 2 and Turgun-1, using both scintillation and AMS techniques, suggests the use of trees that grew in 5th–10th centuries AD as a fuel for metallurgical production. Dates of charcoal relating to the same iron-smelting event differ by over 300 years, probably because various parts of adult larches (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) were used, creating an “old wood” effect. Samples of uncharred bark in bloomery 2 at Kuektanar-1 suggest that the last smelting occurred in 655–765 AD. The totality of radiocarbon dates makes it possible to conclude that the furnaces were active during the Old Turkic period. The proximity of iron ore sources and the abundance of forest vegetation account for the wide use of iron-smelting by the nomads in the region. The erosion of the river bank where the furnaces are located allowed us to assess the erosion rate since their construction to be approximately 0.5 cm per year.

AB - This paper presents the findings relating to iron-smelting furnaces in the Kuektanar and Turgun valleys of the Russian Altai, which were part of the Chuya-Kurai metallurgical province and are undergoing rapid erosion. On the Chuya River, downstream of the mouth of the Kuektanar, we discovered hitherto unknown (and completely eroded) remains of furnaces. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal fragments from smelting furnaces (bloomeries) at Kuektanar-1 and 2 and Turgun-1, using both scintillation and AMS techniques, suggests the use of trees that grew in 5th–10th centuries AD as a fuel for metallurgical production. Dates of charcoal relating to the same iron-smelting event differ by over 300 years, probably because various parts of adult larches (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) were used, creating an “old wood” effect. Samples of uncharred bark in bloomery 2 at Kuektanar-1 suggest that the last smelting occurred in 655–765 AD. The totality of radiocarbon dates makes it possible to conclude that the furnaces were active during the Old Turkic period. The proximity of iron ore sources and the abundance of forest vegetation account for the wide use of iron-smelting by the nomads in the region. The erosion of the river bank where the furnaces are located allowed us to assess the erosion rate since their construction to be approximately 0.5 cm per year.

KW - Bloomeries

KW - Iron-smelting furnaces

KW - Old Turks

KW - Radiocarbon dating

KW - Southeastern Altai

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085147682&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=46734840

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/d151c2a0-d042-3955-8064-eba14eb69dcc/

U2 - 10.17746/1563-0110.2018.46.2.090-099

DO - 10.17746/1563-0110.2018.46.2.090-099

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85085147682

VL - 46

SP - 90

EP - 99

JO - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

JF - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

SN - 1563-0110

IS - 2

ER -