Wychodnie rud miedzi na terenie ukrainy zachodniej jako baza surowcowa metalurgii kolorowej w okresie funkcjonowania kultury trypolskiej

Abstract

The article presents a study of copper ore from western Ukraine aimed at explanation of possibilities of their exploitation for the color metallurgy development during the period of Tripolye culture. It gives a short characteristics of lithological, mineralogical, and geochemical composition of copper ores from the Dneper area, Volhynia, and the Carpathians plateau. It further presents results of chemical and spectral analysis of ore-bearing rocks, evaluation of its current state and potential possibilities of their use in the past. Based upon a statement that metal objects produced during the existence of the Tripolye culture were made of pure copper two methods of its procurement were considered: (a) from a virgin copper, and (b) from oxygenated copper ore of sedimentary origin in which a small number of admixtures was noticed. The paper shows the potential of studies aimed at explanation of the correlation between contemporary and past copper ores and some copper goods from archaeological sites of the Tarnopol region.