Cast Copies of Roman Imperial Denarii from Belarus

The territory of Belarus is a peripheral zone of the distribution of cast barbarian copies of Roman imperial denarii. Their distribution in the region is associated primarily with the population of the Wielbark culture and its lively contacts with the Chernyakhiv culture, where cast copies were produced, and with the neighbouring Balt cultures on whose territory a small number of these coins is also recorded. A study of cast copies of Roman denarii using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) showed that their elemental composition is very diverse — from specimens made of alloys based on copper, tin, or lead to coins with a very high silver content.