Samashev Z., Chotbaev A.E., Kurganov N.S., Pankin D.V., Povolotskaya A.V., Kurochkin A.V., Kitov E.P., Kitova A.O. —
Natural scientific methods in exploration of reference monuments belonging to Saka culture in the Kazakh Altai
// SENTENTIA. European Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. – 2020. – ¹ 4.
– P. 1 - 10.
DOI: 10.25136/1339-3057.2020.4.33922
URL: https://en.e-notabene.ru/psen/article_33922.html
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Abstract: This article examines the ancient gold jewelry with inlay, which were discovered in the process of archeological excavations of grave sites located on the Eleke Sazy Plateau, Tarbagatay Ridge in the East of Kazakhstan in the burial of a notable young man, conducted in summer of 2018. It is attributed to Saka culture, and dates back to approximately VIII – VII centuries BC. Among the objects, were found garments embroidered with gold, quiver with arrows, and bronze dagger in gold scabbard. This work examines the golden scabbard for the dagger. The scabbard consists of several parts attached to the wooden base and decorated with gold seeds and inlay. The inlay did not survive in many of the discovered items, but the traces of it remain. In the process of degradation, some jewels have changed their color, and currently look grey. Micro-samples for the research were selected from the crumbling fragments of inlay, acquired during restoration of the artifact. Modern natural scientific methods give broader opportunities for studying the material component of the objects of cultural heritage. Determination of composition of the object with most damage substantiates the reconstruction. In some cases, despite severe damage, the identification procedure can be conducted on the basis of the remaining particles, the size of which does not exceed tens of microns. Within the framework this work, the author examined the possibility for selection of such micro-samples with subsequent identification. The use of the Raman spectroscopic technique allows further examination of the selected micro-samples. Complementary methods of research include the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for studying the organic substances the inlay was attached to.