Gun and Fire Lighter Flints, Gun Supplies from the “Russian” Cultural Layers of the Fortress of Azov of the 17th–18th Centuries

During the 17th–18th centuries, the fortress of Azov played an extremely important role in the geopolitics of the Russian state and the Ottoman Empire. During the period of the “Azov sitting” (1637–1642) Azov was the base of the Don Cossacks, and under Peter I (1696–1711) it provided Russia with control over the Azov basin and gave access to the Black Sea. Under the terms of the Treaty of the Pruth, in 1711 Azov returned to the power of Turkey. In 1736 it was recaptured by Russian troops. Azov finally passed to Russia in 1774 under the Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji, and in 1775–1782 it was the center of the Azov province. Cultural layers of Azov of 17th––18th– centuries considerably damaged as a result of repeated destruction of a fortress and its subsequent reconstruction. Among the findings, a relatively small series of gunflints, parts of tinderbox and lead bullets are revealed by the authors.