Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/52559

KEYWORDS : East Russia;geology and iron resources;placer and residual deposits;prehistoric ironware;source of iron

In this study, the intimate relationship between the source of iron ore and ironware production in prehistoric ages in East Russia was investigated based on the viewpoints of resource geology, especially that of the transference of smithy technology in the Okhotsk culture. Geologically and tectonically, iron resources in East Russia tend to be distributed in the peripheral zones of Precambrian to Paleozoic-Mesozoic geosynclines surrounding the Siberian Shield on the Russian continent. Formations of iron deposits might have survived from the Precambrian to the Cenozoic Eras in various styles such as stratabound, magmatic, skarn, vein types and their residual weathering soils and/or placer sand deposits. Considering the sporadic distribution of placer and/or residual types of iron deposits along Lake Baikal, the River Amur area, it may be assumed that in this area, ironware was produced by baking placer iron sands and/or iron-rich residual weathering soils such as laterite using primitive furnace conditions. According to a former study, smithy techniques in the Okhotsk culture might have originated on the west coast of Lake Baikal. However, it may be that nearby placer iron sands and/or iron-rich soils were occasionally utilized along the river through cultures to the east, not only by the transportation of iron steel from a distance. One theory which states that the iron source could have come from China or Mongolia, which lie on the southern border with Russia, may not be feasible due to geological and environmental backgrounds. For an accurate estimation of the source of iron ore used for ironware production in prehistoric ages, special attention should be paid to the following subjects: 1) investigation of detailed background of geology and underground resources in the area, 2) selective partitioning of individual siderophile and lithophile elements between iron steel and slag during iron smelting in the furnace, 3) mineralogical and geochemical investigations both for slag and ironware obtained from ancient excavations and furnaces, and 4) determination of deoxidizing substances for iron oxide ore such as charcoal, coal and other sources.