Metallurgical products in the Kama region (based on the materials of the Tarasovskiy burial ground, I-V centuries A.D.)

The article presents results of studying iron balls and metal rods found during the excavations of the Tarasovskiy burial ground. The necropolis dates back to the I-V centuries A.D. and is located on the right bank of the Kama river in the Sarapul district of the Udmurt Republic. Three iron lumps, one metal ingot and four metal rods were found in six burials. All burials were located in the part of the burial ground dated to the end of the IV-V centuries A.D. Vari­ous weapons most commonly are found among other things in those burials. Three iron lumps have a diameter of 15-18 cm and a weight of 5-5.2 kg. They have already been pre-processed to be used as stock material for a black­smith. Few of metal rods were made of brass. The metal ingot has a weight of 0.98 kg., which is about 3 Roman pounds, and the composition of the metal is similar to the alloy for Roman coins. Probably, two of three iron lumps were made not in the Kama region. It is impossible to determine the exact place of the brass rod's production but it was produced in some Roman workshops. Other metal rods were made from brass and lead-tin bronze. Some re­searchers suppose that few burials in the Tarasovskiy ground burial belong to an alien military unit. In this connec­tion it is possible to consider that most of metallurgical products could have been brought to the Kama region with the military units in the period of the Great Migration of Peoples.