Ingots And Weights from Perm Cis-Urals as a Source for Studying the Medieval Measures of Weight

Abstract

The copper ingots and bar bracelets, as well as their fragments found on medieval monuments of the Perm cis-Urals are analyzed in the paper. Researchers in medieval commerce in Eastern Europe usually do not pay enough attention to such type of goods as copper and copper-base alloys. However, taking into account the metal intensity of the medieval market and the lack of raw materials in many territories, there was a high demand for copper and copper alloys. One of the areas of their production was the Perm cis-Urals which had a plenty of raw materials in the form of easily accessible deposits of cupriferous sandstone. Analysis of the weight of ingots and bar bracelets which can be regarded as one of the varieties of ingots, shows that they were cast according to certain weight standards based on the Sasanian weight drachma of 4.26 grams. The parts required for the production process were cut off from large ingots. Sometimes ingots of different weights were initially cast which is clearly demonstrated by the casting mold with sockets for casting ingots of different sizes from Anyuskar settlement. It is possible that such ingots were not only raw materials but also money equivalent. These ingots, as well as silver bullions and alloying metal ingots, and weights, which were a tool not only for traders but also for artisans, can be used as sources for studying the medieval measures of weight.

Keywords

• archaeology
• perm cis-urals
• the middle ages
• measures of weight
• metalworking production
• ingots
• weights