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

Steven A. Rosen, Robert H. Tykot, Michael Gottesman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

The discovery of three small obsidian flakes at the Camel Site in the central Negev, Israel, constitutes the first discovery of obsidian in Early Bronze Age contexts in the Negev and Sinai. Obsidian hydration analysis and X-ray microprobe analysis confirm the association of the artifacts with the site and the period, and indicate origins in Eastern Anatolia, in significant contrast to the exclusively Central Anatolian source of Southern PPNB obsidian. The structure of the obsidian trade system in the Early Bronze Age seems to contrast significantly with its Neolithic predecessor, and may be related to a system of pastoral nomadic exchange.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)775-784
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Archaeological Science
Volume32
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2005

Keywords

  • Anatolia
  • Early Bronze Age
  • Exchange
  • Hydration
  • Negev
  • Obsidian
  • Pastoral nomadism
  • X-ray microprobe

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Archaeology
  • Archaeology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Long distance trinket trade: Early Bronze Age obsidian from the Negev'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this