New Evidence on Prehistoric Trade Routes: The Obsidian Evidence from Gilat, Israel

Non-destructive PXRF analysis of museum-curated obsidian from the Near East

“…Acıgöl and Hotamış da g have significantly different geochemical compositions to the archaeological samples in the dataset. While this dataset is small and the results can only be considered qualitative, the absence of obsidian from Acıgöl and Hotamış da g supports findings in other studies there was minimal exploitation of these sources (Carter et al, 2006;Yellin et al, 1996).…”

“…Analyses from a number of studies show that obsidian deposits in central and eastern Anatolia supplied sites in the Near East from the Epipalaeolithic to the Bronze Age (approximately 14,000e6000 BP) (Abbès et al, 2003;Briois et al, 1997;Cauvin et al, 1997;Chataigner et al, 1998;Yellin et al, 1996). These deposits supplied social exchange networks that were initially small, but over time expanded and became more complex and interconnected, with an overlapping region in the northern Levant and Upper Euphrates valley (Cauvin and Chataigner, 1998).…”

“…During the Chalcolithic, obsidian from East Göllü da g travelled as far as Mesopotamia . Although there are a number of other obsidian deposits in close geographical proximity in central Anatolia (Hasan da g, Acıgöl da g, Hotamış da g), these sources had minimal impact and a limited number of obsidian artefacts have been provenanced to Acıgöl da g and Hotamış da g (Carter et al, 2006;Yellin et al, 1996).…”

Long distance trinket trade: Early Bronze Age obsidian from the Negev

“…4), [27]). However, even when eastern obsidian is present, as at Chalcolithic Gilat [68], the Central Anatolian sources dominate. The contrast with the Camel materials, deriving from the Lake Van area, in Eastern Anatolia, is obvious.…”

“…Thus, the materials from the Camel Site extend the life span of the informal down-the-line exchange system both another period forward in time, one phase beyond the previously documented Chalcolithic [68], and deeper into the desert than in that phase. Interpretation of this trinket trade can shed further light on early desert pastoral societies.…”