Bronze knives and awls of the early stage of the middle bronze age in the Kuban basin

The article is devoted to the analysis of metal objects from the graves of the trans-Kuban area of the North Caucasus Middle Bronze Age culture. The publication is the first one on this point. Metal finds from the Kuban basin are compared to the synchronous materials from the steppe North Caucasus piedmonts, some quantitative and qualitative differences are revealed. Most significant groups are bronze knives and awls (rods). Early and late groups of knives are singled out. Cultural traditions typical of the local group of the North Caucasus culture and those of their steppe neighbours show essential similarity, yet relationships between them look rather limited. The said is evident from late introduction of knives of type 1, most characteristic of the steppe zone in the trans-Kuban area. On the next chronological stage knives of types 1 and 3 were widely spread, which points out much more intensive contacts between the local trans-Kuban tribes and the steppe population.