THE “OSMIUM TRACE” IN MINERAL INCLUSIONS IN ANCIENT GOLD ARTIFACTS☆

Micro-inclusions of minerals of the osmium group were detected in Ural golden ornaments dating from the 15th century BC – 9th century AD. All of these minerals belong to the high-temperature iridium subgroup. The diversity of composition and morphology of inclusions point to their placer origin. Their sources are placers related to ultrabasite deposits of the large faults of the Ural Fold Zone. The authors suggest a method of detecting osmium minerals in ancient gold from the ultrabasite zones of Southern Siberia, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and other regions. Additional analyses of platinoids from placers and veins will help to reconstruct the “osmium routes” along which golden artifacts were distributed.