Cast-Iron Items Made by Urban Artisans in Medieval Southern Kazakhstan and Jetisu: Microstructural Study
https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2025-27-6-973-982
Abstract
The article describes the microstructure of cast-iron tools made between the 10th and the 13th centuries in the medieval cities of Talkhir (Talgar), Koylyk (Antonovka), Otrar, and Karakemer in the regions of Jetisu (Semirechye) and Southern Kazakhstan. The pool of cast-iron objects consisted of 41 pieces: cauldrons, braziers, plowshares, etc., as well as a mortar, a lamp, and a cast-iron block. The method of metallographic analysis made it possible to reveal the phase composition and properties of the local cast iron. Two thirds of the items were made of low-carbon pre-eutectic white cast iron, followed by half-cast iron and, occasionally, gray, eutectic, and supereutectic white iron. The production technology relied on casting iron into molds, which resulted in volumetric iron goods of various sizes and configurations. The iron was smelted in small blast furnaces located near iron ore deposits. The resulting ingots were sold on city markets and subsequently used by founders.
About the Author
Nikolay M. Zinyakov
Kemerovo State University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Kemerovo
Scopus Author ID: 57212142834
Competing Interests:
The author declared no potential conflict of interests regarding the research, authorship, and / or publication of this article.
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For citations:
Zinyakov N.M. Cast-Iron Items Made by Urban Artisans in Medieval Southern Kazakhstan and Jetisu: Microstructural Study. SibScript. 2025;27(6):937-982. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2025-27-6-973-982
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