This article discusses the results of an analytical study of non-ferrous metals from the Shapkul, Lipchinka, and Yamnaya Cultures, using atomic emission spectrometric, spectral X-ray fluorescence (XRF),and metallographic analyses. The overall assemblage is small; comprising 20 specimens in total, which include artefacts published by E.N. Chernykh (8 specimens). Statistical analysis of the obtained data has revealed marked heterogeneity in the elemental composition of the artefacts, both within the cultural groups and at individual sites. Overall, the Eneolithic sites of the Trans-Urals are synchronous to those of the early Garino Culture of the Kama region, and those from the late period are contemporaneous with sites of the early Yamnaya and Afanasievo Cultures. A small number of the Lipchinka Culture metalwork is made of native and oxidised copper, sourced from the Yamnaya cultural and historical community and Garino Culture hearths. Metal production among the Eneolithic tribes was primitive; the population mastered metal smelting methods and techniques at the level of home production, evidenced by small amount of slag and traces of slag on pottery fragments. Some of the studied artifacts were made of low-alloy Sn-bronze. Tin bronzes presumably came from the Afanasievo tribes of northeastern and eastern Kazakhstan (Rudny Altay) through the mediation of the Botai-Tersek tribes. The Yamnaya tribes of the Southern Trans-Urals and Middle Tobol regions made some limited use of pure copper of the Ural copper sandstones group. However, as the elemental composition data shows, they exploited Ural raw material sources (the EU group according to E.N. Chernykh) for tool production, associated with the Yelenovka-Ushkatty and other northern deposition groups found in the Southern and Middle Trans-Urals.

Keywords: Eneolithic, Early Bronze Age, Southern Trans-Urals, Western Siberia, Lipchinka Culture, Yamnaya Culture, elemental composition, geochemical groups.

 

Funding. The work was carried out within the framework of the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (No. FWRZ-2021-0006).

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Accepted: 02.10.2025

Article is published: 15.12.2025