Zlatoust

Zlatoust (Златоуст; zlətɐˈust) is a city in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Ay River (in the Kama basin), west of Chelyabinsk. Population: 181,000 (1971); 161,000 (1959); 99,000 (1939); 48,000 (1926); 21,000 (1910). Apparently, the city's name is derived from the Russian translation of "Chrysostom", literally "golden-mouthed" in the original Greek, for the eloquent Saint John Chrysostom, because the city was founded near a church dedicated to that saint. In other languages the city is sometimes called Ызлататыс (Izlataltıs) or Зылатаус (Zılataus) in Tatar and Залатауыс in Bashkir. Zlatoust was founded in 1754 due to the construction of the ironworks. In 1774–76, the workers of the plant took part in the insurrection led by Yemelyan Pugachev. In the early 19th century, Pavel Anosov made the first Russian bulat steel blades in Zlatoust. It was granted town status in 1865. From 1865 to 1919 Zlatoust was part of Ufa Governorate. The town is also known for the first cannons made of Russian steel. In 1903, the Tsarist authorities brutally suppressed a strike, organized by the workers of Zlatoust. In 1815, an arms factory was built here, which began to produce sabres and swords. To establish production, more than a hundred experts were invited from renowned arms centers in Europe, including Solingen and Klingenthal (Germany). In summer 1816, the first batch of Zlatoust blades was sent to Saint-Petersburg, both combat weapons and decorated samples. Famous artists Ivan Bushuyev and Ivan Boyarshinov authored unique patterns of cold-steel decorated with engravings. Bushuyev's and Boyarshinov's swords are very rare; under 2 dozen are believed to exist today, all in Russian state museums and wealthy Russians' collections (rare published example). The flying winged horse was a favorite element of many of Bushuyev's engravings, so he was given a nickname Ivan the Wingy (Ivanko Krylatko). Since then, a pegasus has been an emblem of the town. In the 1840s the engraving was shifted onto decorative metal plates.