The comprehensive study of the Abashevo battle axe from the Malo-Kizilskoe unfortified settlement

The paper reports on the comprehensive study of a copper battle axe attributed to the Abashevo culture which was discovered at the Malo-Kizilskoe open settlement. The battle axe was examined by neutron tomography and radiographic analysis, and electron scanning microscopy methods; the paper provides results of its examination by optical emission spectrometry. The analysis established that the axe was cast from the copperarsenic ore coming from the Tash-Kazgan deposit; special treatment during the cast cooling was not recorded, casting is of good quality. Harmful effect of dissoluble impurities was reduced to minimum, the metal shows a small percentage of recorded casting defects (0,18 % of its total volume). All this suggests that it was used as a close combat weapon which is also indirectly confirmed by the nature of injuries documented on the skulls from the Pepkino kurgan. The radiocarbon AMS-date of the multiple grave in this kurgan enables the authors to date the period when such weapons were used in the Middle Volga region to the end of III mill. BC or the transitional period from III to II mill. BC.