1. Journal of Ancient History 4 (283)
  2. An Indian (?) Bronze Mirror from a 4th Century BC Nomad Grave in the Southern Urals

An Indian (?) Bronze Mirror from a 4th Century BC Nomad Grave in the Southern Urals

Ravich Irina G., Sirotin Sergey V., Treister Mikhail Yu.

The authors publish a grave with a burial of two women discovered in 2009 during the excavation of Yakovlevka II burial mound conducted by the expedition of Sterlitamak State Pedagogical University under the guidance of S.V. Sirotin. The paper describes the burial inventory, which makes it possible to date the burial broadly within the 4th century BC, probably to its middle or third quarter. Special attention is paid to the so-called musical mirror with a multi-figure composition on the decorative plate. This is the fifth find of this kind, such mirrors being known in Altai and in the Southern Urals. Technological analysis of the mirror from Yakovlevka, as well as of the one from the Mechetsai barrow burial-ground, makes it possible to assume that the technology of high tin bronze hot forging came from India to the Southern Urals in the 4th sentury BC.

Keywords: Southern Urals, Altai, nomads, Yakovlevka II burial mound, Indian mirrors, bronze mirrors, technology of high tin bronze hot forging
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