Abstract
THE sources from which prehistoric peoples ob tained their minerals and other raw materials of industry afford valuable clues to their intercourse and cultural and economic contacts. A new source of gold in Central Asia is reported in the announce ment of a discovery of prehistoric workings at Kazakhstan by a Russian expedition sent out by the Soviet Government (Soviet Union Year Book Press Service). The mines had been worked by a large number of workmen who used some implements of bronze, but for the most part of stone and the bones of animals. There were no traces of iron. Near the shafts were primitive ore-crushing plants, consisting of stone slabs and hammers. Two skeletons of these bronze age miners were found, who had met their death by a fall of the roof. On one of the skeletons was a necklace of glass and clay beads and in one hand was a bronze chisel and in the other a stone hammer. They were not Mongolian, as was indicated by their skulls. The mines were 0-75 m. wide and 20-25 m. deep. They were connected by underground passages 100-150 m. long. These passages had natural ventilation, and for illumination it is probable that fat in shallow bowls was employed. Some of these bowls have been found. Stone cross pieces were used as props. Polished slabs and triangles of stone have been found which appear to have been used on the steppes of Kazakhstan as sign-posts to guide caravans on their way to the mines. The slabs were orientated and polished on the eastern side. The Soviet Government is sending out another expedition this year to explore the mines further, and to work the ore which was left unextracted by the ancient miners.
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Central Asiatic Gold Mines of the Bronze Age. Nature 139, 956–957 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1038/139956b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/139956b0