Koroleva E.V. On the Research Tasks and Interpretation Possibilities of Chemical Composition Data of Medieval Metal from Archaeological Excavations in Pskov

Abstract: The article describes the new method of quantitative and qualitative processing of data from Medieval metals, derived through the method of X-ray fluorescence analysis, in order to identify theproduction location through the comparison of raw metal compositions and finished objects. The idea of the necessity of such a comparison is based on the earlier made conclusion that Pskovian workshops prioritised the use of finished raw metal without attempting to influence its technological properties through alloying. The application of this method makes sense only in the presence within the studied sample of a significant quantity of objects with a vast chronological span and represented by a full range of categories: from raw metal, blanks and semi-finished products, to finished objects. An important pre-condition is the origin of the metals from complexes, including production complexes. The presented method includes several stages, part of which has already been completed on the Pskov material. Its first testing has shown a sufficient effectiveness for the posed tasks. The use of the presented method on all types of tasks has allowed to obtain for the first time such precise information and an objective picture regarding the development of the local jewellery-making production.

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