Raw material project
Stone tools made of SiO2 raw materials (silex) represent one of the most important types of finds in Neolithic find-spots. One of the most essential questions concerns the characterisation (›fingerprinting‹) of such stone raw materials in order to be able to differentiate them unequivocally from other, often very similar materials. Determinations of origin constitute the foundation for the investigation of prehistoric management of resources, which includes the procurement, employment and distribution of lithic materials.
The raw material project at the OeAW is based on the by now internationally known method of »Multi-Layered-Chert-Sourcing-Approach« (MLA). This analytical approach combines macroscopic, microscopic, petrological-geochemical and statistical analytics for the determination of origin of silex artefacts in archaeological contexts. Numerous international projects have demonstrated the potential of MLA, and have thereby contributed to the continual adjustment of this method and to refining the analytic components.
Geochemical sampled geological deposits
Belgien
Spiennes
Nouvelles
Obourg
Eben Emael
Belize (Mittelamerika)
Aguada Lagunita Elusiva
La Milpa
Menonite’s creek
Medicinal Trail
Colha
San Esteban
Dänemark
Fornaes
Sangstrup
Bulbjerg
Hamborg
Hanstholm
Hillerslev
Thisted
Vokslev
Ellidshoi
Stevns
Faxe
Mön
Hvideklint
Klintholm
Polen
Falsztynski Potok
Bębło
Czajowice
Sąspów
Mników
Orónsko
Tomaszów
Wierzbica ‘Zele’
Polany II
Prędocin
Schweden
Hanaskog
Östra Torp
Limhamn
Slowakei
Nemšová Kamenice
Vršatské Podhradie
Vlára-Bolešov
Türkei
Çanakgöl Tepe
Ungarn
Szentgál Tüszköveshegy
Principal investigator
Cooperations
- Christoph Hauzenberger (Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Institut für Erdwissenschaften, Bereich Mineralogie und Petrologie)
- Peter Filzmoser (Technische Universität Wien, Institut für Stochastik und Wirtschaftsmathematik)
- Gerhard Trnka (Universität Wien, Institut für Urgeschichte und Historische Archäologie)
Duration
since 2005