nscArchaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of EurasiaАрхеология, этнография и антропология Евразии1563-0110IAET SB RAS10.17746/1563-0110.2025.53.1.083-089nsc-2102Research ArticleTHE METAL AGES AND MEDIEVAL PERIODЭПОХА ПАЛЕОМЕТАЛЛАAntimony Ornaments, Votive and Ritual Items of the Koban Culture in the Caucasus as a Historical Sourcehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6041-5070ChshievV. T.

Chshiev V.T., Senior Researcher 

Vatutina 46, Vladikavkaz, 362025 

hacht@mail.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7830-4715MagkoevT. T.

Magkoev T.T., Professor 

Vatutina 44-46, Vladikavkaz, 362025 

ateia@mail.ruhttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-0989-6881TotoevaB. A.

Totoeva B.A., Lecturer 

Vatutina 44-46, Vladikavkaz, 362025 

totoeva88@mail.ruInstitute of History and Archaeology of the Republic of North Ossetia – AlaniaRussian FederationKhetagurov North Ossetian State UniversityRussian Federation2025030420255318389Copyright © Chshiev V.T., Magkoev T.T., Totoeva B.A., 20252025Chshiev V.T., Magkoev T.T., Totoeva B.A.Chshiev V.T., Magkoev T.T., Totoeva B.A.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://journal.archaeology.nsc.ru/jour/article/view/2102

Archaeological excavations carried out in the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania over the past 15 years have yielded numerous artifacts associated with the Proto-Koban (15th/14th to early 12th century BC) and “classic” Koban culture (9th–8th centuries BC). Here, we analyze antimony artifacts from the cemeteries of Adaidon, dating to the Proto-Koban stage, and Elkhotovo, representing “classic” Koban. The analysis of composition of the metal revealed the recipes used by ancient craftsmen for manufacturing weapons, ornaments, and votive items. Antimony ornaments from Elkhotovo suggest that this substance was used not only in the Middle and the beginning of the Late Bronze Age in the Caucasian highlands, but also much later in the piedmont zone of the region. The study of certain bronze artifacts from Adaidon suggests that to make ornaments and votive items more attractive, antimony in the amount of 4.5–5.0 % was added. As a result, they acquired a light-golden color and luster.

Bronze and Early Iron AgesCaucasusKoban cultureantimony ornaments and insigniametal composition of artifactsantimony deposits in the CaucasusAdaidon and Elkhotovo cemeteriesThis study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 22-28-01363). The authors thank S.V. Khavrin (the State Hermitage Museum), who performed a number of analyses to determine the composition and percentage ratio of metals of the artifacts.ReferencesChshiev V.T. 2012 Epokha pozdney bronzy – rannego zheleza Severnoy Osetii: Kobanskaya kultura. In Istoriya Osetii, S.A. Ailarova, A.G. Kuchiev (eds.), vol. 1. Vladikavkaz: Izd. Sev.-Osetin. Inst. gumanitar. i sotsial. issledovaniy, pp. 53–88.Chshiev V.T. 2012 Epokha pozdney bronzy – rannego zheleza Severnoy Osetii: Kobanskaya kultura. In Istoriya Osetii, S.A. Ailarova, A.G. Kuchiev (eds.), vol. 1. Vladikavkaz: Izd. Sev.-Osetin. 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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.