Amber from the Excavations of Rodanovo Medieval Hillford in Perm Krai

Abstract

The paper addresses the physical-chemical and historical-cultural study of the pieces of raw amber discovered in the cultural layer of a bronze casting and jewelry workshop of the 11th – early 12th centuries at Rodanovo hillfort. Such items were discovered in the territory of the Perm Cis-Urals for the first time. In order to resolve the issue of the place of origin of the amber, a study was conducted for its identification. Using the methods of synchronous thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microhardness analysis, and gas chromatography studies with a mass spectrometric detector, it was confirmed that amber is of Baltic origin. It was concluded that the finds could have come to the hillfort from the territories of ancient Russian cities or through Volga Bolgaria, and were used by local jewelers for processing as ornamental stones for jewelry inserts.

Keywords

• archaeology
• perm cis-urals
• rodanovo hillfort
• x–xiv centuries
• bronze casting and jewelry workshop
• amber
• physical and chemical research methods
• jewelry
• baltic region
• ancient russia
• volga bulgaria