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A New Look at Bjurselet. The Neolithic Flint Axe Caches from Västerbotten, Sweden using non-destructive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis for provenance determination

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Author

Summary, in English

Because of the inexact nature of visual classification schemes and the resulting uncertainties of specifying raw material origins, geochemical methods applicable for sourcing Scandinavian flint have been sought. The authors have shown that EDXRF analysis yields geochemical data sufficiently precise and accurate to discriminate among many different varieties of archaeologically significant flint. However, these results are based on geologic specimens, most of which were culled fresh from in situ deposits. The goal of the present article was to determine if EDXRF analysis could yield meaningful results when applied to archaeological specimens. The Middle Neolithic flint objects discovered in the province of Västerbotten in northern Sweden, some 1500 kilometers distant from any flint sources, were deemed to be a suitable archaeological case study. Results from the Bjurselet analyses suggest that light patination does not appear to seriously compromise the geochemical results, at least for the elements tested here. Although EDXRF data alone were not sufficient for pinpointing the exact place of origin for the flint at Bjurselet, the results confirmed conclusions based on other kinds of evidence. The results provide an incentive to build up a more comprehensive geochemical library for further provenance work.

Department/s

Publishing year

2012

Language

English

Pages

83-103

Publication/Series

Acta Archaeologica

Volume

83

Issue

2012

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Topic

  • History and Archaeology

Keywords

  • Neolithic
  • Scandinavia
  • provenance
  • Flint
  • EDAX
  • Bjurselet

Status

Published

Project

  • Sourcing flint and flint artefacts from Sweden and Denmark by means of Non-Destructive Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (EDXRF)

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0065-101X