Syrian obsidian discovery opens new chapter in Middle Eastern studies

An archaeologist from the University of Sheffield has revealed the origin and trading routes of razor-sharp stone tools 4,200 years ago in Syria.

Ancient sites and cultural heritage are under threat in Syria due to the current conflict. An interdisciplinary research team hopes this new discovery, which has major implications for understanding the world’s first empire, will help to highlight the importance of protecting Syria’s heritage.

Obsidian, naturally occurring volcanic glass, is smooth, hard, and far sharper than a surgical scalpel when fractured, making it a highly desired raw material for crafting stone tools for most of human history. In fact, obsidian tools continued to be used throughout the ancient Middle East for millennia beyond the introduction of metals, and obsidian blades are still used today as scalpels in specialised medical procedures.

In an interdisciplinary collaboration, researchers from social and earth sciences studied obsidian tools excavated from the archaeological site of Tell Mozan, located in Syria near the borders with Turkey and Iraq. Using novel methods and technologies, the team successfully uncovered the hitherto unknown origins and movements of the coveted raw material during the Bronze Age, more than four millennia ago. [...] 

The University of Sheffield

Link 2: Distinguishing Nemrut Dağ and Bingöl A obsidians: geochemical and landscape differences and the archaeological implications.

Actualización 09-09-12. El descubrimiento sobre las fuentes de obsidiana en Siria abre un nuevo capítulo en los estudios de Oriente Medio
En una colaboración interdisciplinaria, investigadores de las Ciencias Sociales y de la Tierra estudiaron las herramientas de obsidiana excavadas en el yacimiento arqueológico de Tell Urkesh Mozan, ubicado en Siria, cerca de las fronteras con Turquía e Irak. Utilizando nuevos métodos y tecnologías, el equipo descubrió con éxito los orígenes y movimientos, hasta ahora desconocidos, de la materia prima codiciada durante la Edad del Bronce, hace más de cuatro mil años...