CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MONTE-ARCI (SARDINIA) OBSIDIAN SOURCES

In the western Mediterranean, obsidian from four volcanic island sourc es was used beginning in the Neolithic period. The geological sources on Lipari, Palmarola, and Pantelleria have been located and chemically characterized; until now, however, the Monte Arci sourer in Sardinia was better known from the analysis of archaeological rather than geolo gical specimens. The results of a comprehensive field survey and chara cterization study of the obsidian sources in Sardinia are presented he re, and finally allow all obsidian artefacts of western Mediterranean origin to be attributed to specific sources using minimally destructiv e and relatively inexpensive methods of analysis. Five chemically dist inct sources in the Monte Arci region were exploited, with their locat ion and the physical properties of the obsidian itself contributing to chronologically and spatially diverse frequency-of-use patterns. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.