The fission-track analysis: An alternative technique for provenance studies of prehistoric obsidian artefacts


BELLOT-GURLET L., BIGAZZI G., DORIGHEL O., ODDONE M., POUPEAU G., Yegingil Z.

RADIATION MEASUREMENTS, vol.31, pp.639-644, 1999 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 31
  • Publication Date: 1999
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/s1350-4487(99)00157-2
  • Journal Name: RADIATION MEASUREMENTS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.639-644
  • Keywords: fission-track dating, archaeometry, obsidian artefacts, provenance studies, ARTIFACTS
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Comparison of fission-track parameters - age and track densities - is an alternative tool for correlating obsidian artefacts with their potential natural sources. This method was applied by different fission-track groups in various regions and results were compared with those obtained using the more popular provenance identification techniques based on chemical composition studies. Hundreds of analyses prove that fission-track dating is a complementary technique which turns out to be very useful, specially when the chemical composition does not fully discriminate different sources. Archaeologically significant results were obtained applying the fission-track analysis in various regions of earth.