COPPER METALLURGY AND COLCHIAN BRONZE CULTURE (MOUNTAINOUS COLCHIS - METALLURGY-SETTLEMENT - MODELING)

Abstract

The study of archaeometallurgical monuments of the Colchian Bronze Age is of particular importance - Colchis became known to the outside world thanks to metallurgy, information indicating the national identity of Colchis, the territory, the name of the territory (Colchis), the names of the tribes inhabiting this territory, their activities, lifestyle, and relations with neighboring populations emerged. The archaeometalurgical monuments of the Colchian Bronze Age culture are represented by a large number of copper/bronze hoards and individual items (combat and agricultural weapons, jewelry, small plastic samples), as well as a large number of artifacts directly related to copper/bronze metallurgy - copper/bronze ingots from bronze hoards, molds, slag, lime, fragments of clay plaster and pipes from smelting furnaces. Until the early 21st century, despite all this archaeological material, the archaeometalurgical monuments themselves, where copper was smelted and cast, were not discovered. The paper reviews of the copper/bronze metallurgy as the pillar of Colchian Late Bronze Culture, taking into account the chronology of discoveries and the disposition of artifacts, and attempts to model metallurgical activity in ancient settlements in the light of new data.