Ancient Rus Metallurgical Complex at Kopyriv Kinets

Abstract

The article is devoted to the results of studies of several archaeological sites related to the production and processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. During archaeological research of the Ancient Rus settlement in the Kopyriv Kinets in Kyiv, on the excavation site of 2017 at Kudriavska st., 24-A, a large number of archaeological sites of various purposes were discovered and explored, among which two nearby industrial buildings of a rather complex structure turned out to be interesting. Having carefully studied the design features, stratigraphy, the fairly dense and saturated with a variety of finds buildings Nos. 1-2, the following results can be considered. Production building No. 1, at first could have been used to obtain iron, since the remains of a metallurgical hearth and a significant amount of iron krits and slags were found in it. Moreover, here massively (?) could have been produced iron products by forging. Production building No. 2 was the most likely used primarily for foundry. Here, raw materials in the form of non-ferrous scrap (trimmings, strips and plates) could be smelted for further casting of copper/bronze products. This process was successfully promoted by a furnace made of stones and plinthite, the heat of which was sufficient for this production process. With the advent of the building No. 2, the functioning of the building No. 1 continued for some time, since colored scrap and copper-bronze slag were also found in it. It is possible that for some time in the kiln of the building No. 1, in parallel with the manufacture of iron and iron products, they were engaged in the smelting of copper and bronze. As for the time of existence of these structures, considerably they were built gradually, one after another. The first one in XI century there is the building No. 1, and then – in the second half of XI century the building No. 2 appeared next to it, which continues to function at the beginning of XII century. Thus, buildings No. 1 and No. 2, obviously, formed a single complex of impressive size, which specialized in the production and processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.