Nomenclature of Metals and Alloys from Sarmatian Burial Grounds of the Lower Volga Region of the 2nd Century BC – First Half of the 2nd Century AD, According to XRF Data

The work presents the results of an analysis of the chemical composition of 82 objects from non-ferrous and precious metals dating from the 4th century BC – the first half of the 2nd century AD and originating from the excavation of funeral monuments located in the Lower Volga region. Basically, the analysis of the chemical composition of non-ferrous metal was carried out for objects characteristic of the ordinary population of the region: mirrors, jewelry, clothing or household items, and details of horse harnesses; importantly, sampling was random. The data obtained by the XRF method are very interesting and demonstrate a change in the nomenclature of leading alloys. So, for the period of the 2nd century BC – the border of eras, there is a significant number of objects from tin as well as from tin-lead bronze, with a slight presence of products from a multicomponent alloy, an alloy with arsenic. For the period of the 1st – the first half of the 2nd century AD, there is a significant change in the leading types of alloys: zinc-containing alloys such as two- and three-component brass dominate the sample; also significantly increased the share of triple bronze, highly alloyed with lead; there are also products made of copper and tin bronze. Silver products made of silver from different samples are present in all stages. Analysis of alloying components and impurities in the identified alloys made it possible to distinguish in the sample of the 2nd century BC –the border of eras, the influence of the North Caucasian center of non-ferrous metalworking; recorded changes in the nomenclature of alloys of the 1st – the first half of the 2nd century AD arose, most likely, under the influence of the North Black Sea center of non-ferrous metalworking. The presence of high-zinc brass objects in the sample during the period of the 1st – the first half of the 2nd century AD also does not exclude the receipt of this type of brass from the production center located in Central Asia, which is characterized by an extremely high zinc content in the alloy.