RESUME
The archaeometallurgical research covers copper alloy artefacts found in the Bronze Age settlement and necropolis near the village of Chukovezer. The archaeological material under investigation belongs to the following categories – bracelets, pins, needles, awls, knives and swords. The compositional analysis of 13 chemical elements (Cu, Sn, As, Pb, Fe, Ni, Ag, Sb, Zn, Au, Mn, Co, Cr) has been performed using X-Ray Fluorescence. The results evidence that most of the metal artefacts are made of tin bronze, except of a pin cast of arsenical copper. Five knives and two bracelets are made of the ternary alloy Cu-Sn-As. Another ternary alloy – Cu-Sn-Pb is prepared for the production of a knife from the necropolis. The comparative study of the correlations between the main elements in the finds from the Bronze Age village and those from the necropolis reveals that there is no definite separation between the two groups. Further examination of the concentrations of the main elements in the different categories of artefacts shows variations primarily in the quantitative values of tin.
Silviya Ivanova, PhD
Regional History Museum – Sofia
silvivanova@abv.bg
Deyan Lesigyarski, PhD
National Institute of Geophysic, Geodesy and Geography Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
dlesigyarski@geophys.bas.bg
