First Geochemical ‘Fingerprinting’ of Balkan and Prut Flint from Palaeolithic Romania: Potentials, Limitations and Future Directions

Moreau, L. and Ciornei, A. and Gjesfjeld, E. and Filzmoser, P. and Gibson, S. A. and Day, J. and Nigst, P. R. and Noiret, P. and Macleod, R. A. and Niţă, L. and Anghelinu, M. (2018) First Geochemical ‘Fingerprinting’ of Balkan and Prut Flint from Palaeolithic Romania: Potentials, Limitations and Future Directions. Archaeometry. ISSN 0003-813X, ESSN: 1475-4754 DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12433

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Abstract

Long‐distance raw material transfers across Romania prior to the Last Glacial Maximum have previously been inferred from either visual and/or petrographic observations of East Carpathian sites. We investigated the potential to ‘fingerprint’ flint from archaeological sites at Mitoc‐Malu Galben and Bistricioara–Lutărie III in Eastern Romania, using in situ high‐precision analyses of 28 major, minor and trace elements determined by laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) in combination with multivariate statistical analysis. Our results suggest that geochemical analyses have the ability to distinguish between different geographical sources but are unable to positively associate flint artefacts from archaeological contexts to these geochemical groups. The mismatches of signatures between artefacts and geological materials, however, raise new questions and open unforeseen perspectives.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	2018AREP; IA73
Subjects:	99 - Other
Divisions:	05 - Petrology - Igneous, Metamorphic and Volcanic Studies 99 - Other
Journal or Publication Title:	Archaeometry
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12433
Depositing User:	Sarah Humbert
Date Deposited:	19 Nov 2018 12:56
Last Modified:	19 Nov 2018 12:56
URI:	http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/4355

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