In Sardinia, polished stone axes appear in early Neolithic communities (VI millennium B.C.) and are found up to the beginning of the Copper Age. Classification of polished axes from western central Sardinia has been redefined archaeometrically in a preliminary sampling of specimens found in open-air settlements. In the studied Neolithic sites, «nephrites» make up 95% of all examined lithologies. Two main groups may be distinguished, characterised respectively by the presence or absence of epidote. «Nephrites» are made up of actinolite or tremolite, chlorite, ±epidote, and Feoxide. The other stone axes are composed of glaucophane schist, metadiabase, andalusite hornfels, and phonolite. The extensive occurrence of lithotypes from outside Sardinia, mainly «nephrite», which was commonly used to produce the mainland axes, chiefly in the Neolithic villages of northern Italy, is confirmed. Axes made of jadeitite or eclogite seem to be absent or very rare. Conversely, semi-finished samples found in Sardinia bear witness to raw materials or rough-casts acquired from the mainland. One axe made of volcanic rock from Montiferro is of particular interest, since it may also document local production of stone axes.

Petrographic characterisation of polished stone axes from Neolithic Sardinia, archaeological implications

FRANCESCHELLI, MARCELLO;MARCHI, MARCO;LUGLIE', CARLO;COLUMBU, STEFANO
2002-01-01

Abstract

In Sardinia, polished stone axes appear in early Neolithic communities (VI millennium B.C.) and are found up to the beginning of the Copper Age. Classification of polished axes from western central Sardinia has been redefined archaeometrically in a preliminary sampling of specimens found in open-air settlements. In the studied Neolithic sites, «nephrites» make up 95% of all examined lithologies. Two main groups may be distinguished, characterised respectively by the presence or absence of epidote. «Nephrites» are made up of actinolite or tremolite, chlorite, ±epidote, and Feoxide. The other stone axes are composed of glaucophane schist, metadiabase, andalusite hornfels, and phonolite. The extensive occurrence of lithotypes from outside Sardinia, mainly «nephrite», which was commonly used to produce the mainland axes, chiefly in the Neolithic villages of northern Italy, is confirmed. Axes made of jadeitite or eclogite seem to be absent or very rare. Conversely, semi-finished samples found in Sardinia bear witness to raw materials or rough-casts acquired from the mainland. One axe made of volcanic rock from Montiferro is of particular interest, since it may also document local production of stone axes.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/98375
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