New finds of obsidian blades at Neolithic sites in north-eastern Iberia

Figure 3/5. New discoveries of obsidian bladelets: 1) MS21b; 2) MS7; 3) ‘Habitation’ 1; 4) BMD55; 5) H8.

A recent study of obsidian artefacts found at Neolithic sites in the Iberian Peninsula has demonstrated that this obsidian was sourced from Flow A at Monte Arci, Sardinia, Italy (Terradas et al. 2014). These artefacts were deposited and discovered over 1300km from the source of the raw material—the greatest distance yet known for the distribution of Sardinian obsidian. This evidence further corroborates the existence of a vast exchange network of raw materials and objects across a large part of Western Europe during the late fifth and early fourth millennia BC.

The six obsidian artefacts presented in this study are a bladelet core (Bòbila Padró), a blade (Gavà Mines), and four bladelets (two from Bòbila Madurell and one each from Can Gambús and La Serreta), all knapped using the pressure technique. These objects were deposited as grave goods in individual tombs located within a very restricted geographical area, less than 30km from Barcelona. [...] Antiquity Journal / Link 2 (Vía B&W2)