NEUTRON-ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF OBSIDIAN FROM KALAVASOS-TENTA

The small quantity of obsidian used by the Aceramic Neolithic occupant s of Cyprus was imported, there being no source on the island. The che mical composition, determined by neutron, activation analysis, of six samples of obsidian from Kalavasos-Tenta indicates that they were deri ved from the central Anatolian, Gollu Dag (Ciftlik: Group 2b) source. On the basis of chemical composition, obsidian from five Cypriot Acera mic Neolithic sites has the same provenance. Our data suggest that the fragments we analyzed were not derived from a single core and, becaus e obsidian occurs throughout the Aceramic period of occupation of Kala vasos-Tenta, it appears unlikely that the 36 artifacts recovered from the site represent a one-time transfer of material. This suggests an e nduring supply and implies to us that the inhabitants of Kalavasos-Ten ta were never completely isolated from the mainland.