Obsidian Source Use within the Alföld Linear Pottery culture in Slovakia

Werra, Dagmara H.; Hughes, Richard E.; Nowak, Marek; Vizdal, Marián; Gačková, Lýdia

doi:0081-3834

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Obsidian Source Use within the Alföld Linear Pottery culture in Slovakia Werra, Dagmara H.Hughes, Richard E.Nowak, MarekVizdal, MariánGačková, Lýdia

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Obsidian Source Use within the Alföld Linear Pottery culture in Slovakia

Sprawozdania Archeologiczne 73 nr 1 (2021)

Werra, Dagmara H. ; Hughes, Richard E. ; Nowak, Marek ; Vizdal, Marián ; Gačková, Lýdia

Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk

obsidian ; Alföld Linear Pottery culture ; obsidian source analysis ; non-destructive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) ; Slovakia

This paper reports the results of non-destructive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis of 186 obsidian artifacts from eight archaeological sites attributable to the Alföld Linear Pottery culture (c. 5600-4900 cal BC). This is the largest instrument-based study yet conducted and reported for Alföld Linear Pottery culture (ALPC) artifacts from Slovakia, where ALPC chipped lithic assemblages are almost entirely composed of obsidian items. Results show that all obsidian artifacts analyzed were manufactured exclusively from a volcanic glass of the Carpathian 1 chemical type, the source of which has been localised in Slovakia. This chemical variety of obsidian appears to have been the most important volcanic glass used by prehistoric communities in East-Central Europe during the Neolithic

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