Pages: 109-120

The paper provides technological and morphological analysis of various copper arrowhead types from the LBA site; those of the Early Alakul’ period with tubular sockets, and one more with internal socket, were cast in molds and then forged. The cast arrowhead with narrow blades is attributed to the Alekseevskiy-Sargary culture. Further, the casting mold of another arrowhead type is discussed to represent the Petrovka-Nurtay metalworking tradition. Hence, manufacturing of striking points for the ranged weapons seems to have taken place here, in Taldysay, throughout the 2nd millennium BC. The Zhezkazgan-Ulytau copper ores were melted in workshops equipped with specialized furnaces. Metal was poured into the molds of talc or those of baked clay, to make tools and utensils and decorations, such as knives, pin punches, chisels, awls, needles, staples, and beads. Pure copper casting was the reason why forging technique has been used for a very long time throughout the Asian area of the Eurasian Metallurgical Province.

Keywords: Central Kazakhstan, Late Bronze Age, Zhezkazgan-Ulytau mining and smelting center, Taldysay, workshops, heating and copper-smelting structures, ore, copper, casting molds, arrowheads

Information about authors:

Antonina Yermolayeva (Almaty, Kazakhstan). Institute of Archeology named after A. Kh. Margulan. Dostyk Ave., 44, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
E-mail: [email protected]
Sergei Kuzminykh (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dmitry Ulyanov St., 19, Moscow, 117036, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Pak Jang-Sik (Sejong, South Korea). Professor. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hongik University. Jochiwon, Sinan-ri, Jochiwon-eup, Yeongi-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 312-1, Sejong, 30016, South Korea
E-mail: [email protected]
Yekaterina Dubyagina (Almaty, Kazakhstan). Master of Humanities (Archaeology and Ethnology). Institute of Archeology named after A. Kh. Margulan. Dostyk Ave., 44, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
E-mail: [email protected]