Persov N.E., Saracheva T.G., Soldatenkova V.V. Crucibles from the Excavations of the Goldsmith Quarter in Tver

Abstract: While conducting archaeological excavations in 2001–2006 on the territory of the Zatmatskiy posad in the city of Tver, researchers investigated the goldsmith quarter dating to the end of the 15th – beginning of the 16th centuries. The excavations included four estates with goldsmith workshops. Archaeological horizons were rich in individual finds, among which prevailed objects of nonferrous metallurgy. The most numerous objects were fragments of clay crucibles – 3524 specimens. Five unbroken vessels and 11 with fully or almost fully preserved profile have allowed to typify the form and size of the moulders’ instruments. These are open conical or cylindrical crucibles with a height of 7,5–10 cm. and a volume of 80–155 ml. On the walls of many specimens remain vitreous slags and drops of metal. Using the non-destructive x-ray fluorescence analysis, the chemical compound of 78 finds have been identified at the x-ray fluorescence laboratory of the Section of Geochemistry of the Geology Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University. On the basis of element ranging the groups of metal melted in the crucibles have been identified: pure copper, bronze and brass, lead-tin alloy. Zinc-containing alloys are the most common. In the remains of each estate a clear connection can be drawn between the metal filling the crucible, production waste and finished objects. The comparison of melting vessels with earlier finds on the territory of the posad has shown that their volume has increased by several times. This testifies to the important scale of production that the bronze casting trade has acquired in the Zatmatskiy posad during the late Medieval period.

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