University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 11-21-2003 Characterization Of Obsidian Sources In Pantelleria, Italy Barbara A. Vargo University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Vargo, Barbara A., "Characterization Of Obsidian Sources In Pantelleria, Italy" (2003). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/1501 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Characterization Of Obsidian Sources In Pantelleria, Italy by Barbara A. Vargo A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Robert H. Tykot, Ph.D. Brent R. Weisman, Ph.D. Jeffrey Ryan, Ph.D. Date of Approval: November 21, 2003 Keywords: Obsidian, Western Mediterranean, Neolithic, Trade, Lithic Technology © Copyright 2003, Barbara A. Vargo Dedication To Josephine Tutlewski, my grandmother, who took me to the Field Museum in Chicago when I was nine years old and sat and read books while I roamed among the archaeological displays. Her love of travel and history provided the spark that ignited a passion in me for archaeology that has never dimmed. To my family whose love and support has sustained me throughout this project, especially my husband Dale who never doubted that I would achieve my goal. Acknowledgments In grateful appreciation to: Robert H. Tykot, Brent Weisman, and Jeffrey Ryan who provided invaluable theoretical and methodological assistance; The National Science Foundation for providing financial support for this research; Maurizio Tosi, Valentina Colella, (University of Bologna, Italy) and Rosario di Fresco (The Archeoclub of Pantelleria) for their assistance during the collection of geological samples on Pantelleria; Sebastiano Tusa (Soprintendenza ai Beni Culturali e Ambientali della Provincia di Trapani, Italy) for granting permission for this research; Michael D. Glascock, and Jeffrey Speakman for their assistance with the INAA, ICP-MS, XRF analysis; to J. D. Vigne for permitting access to the Tunisian artifacts; and to Terry Setzer, Lisa Beyer, Julie Bliss and all the archaeology students who worked on sample preparation and density measurements in the Laboratory for Archaeological Science at the University of South Florida. Table of Contents List of Tables iv List of Charts v List of Figures vi Abstract x Chapter One: Introduction 1 Characterization of Obsidian Sources 1 The Study of Prehistoric Trade/Exchange Systems 3 Chapter Two: Obsidian 7 Definition and Description of Obsidian 7 Identification of Primary Sources of Obsidian 8 Attributes of Western Mediterranean Obsidian 8 Obsidian Sources 9 Chapter Three: Prehistoric Settlement of the Western Mediterranean 14 Early Settlement Theories 14 Colonization of the Western Mediterranean 15 New Perspectives on Island Settlement 16 The Neolithic Period in Europe and the Western Mediterranean 20 Family Group 21 Local Group 22 Regional Group 22 Neolithic Society 25 Islands in the Western Mediterranean 26 Sicily 26 Malta 30 Other Islands 33 Lithic Technology in the Western Mediterranean 34 Transportation 36 The Italian Neolithic 37 i Chapter Four: The Island of Pantelleria 39 Geologic History 40 Peralkaline Obsidian 43 The Archaeological History of Pantelleria 44 Pantellerian Obsidian in Sicily, Malta and North Africa 47 Chapter Five: Survey and Sampling at Primary and Secondary Sources 49 Location of Primary and Secondary Obsidian Deposits 54 Sampling Strategy 57 Survey Locations and Collection Points 60 Punta Spadillo 60 Gelkhamer 61 Bagno dell’Acqua 62 Balata dei Turchi 65 Salto la Vecchia 69 Chapter Six: Density Measurements of Geological Samples and Artifacts 74 Procedure 74 Results 76 Density Results by Location 77 Bagno dell’Acqua 77 Balata dei Turchi 79 Salto la Vecchia 82 Offshore Collection 83 Chapter Seven: Analysis of Geological Samples and Artifacts 86 Sample Preparation 86 Obsidian Provenance Research 87 Analytical Methods 87 Neutron Activation Analysis 88 X-ray Fluorescence 90 Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry 91 Analysis of Pantelleria Source Materials and Artifacts 93 Trace Element Analysis of Geologic Samples 94 INAA 94 XRF 96 LA-ICP-MS 97 Chapter Eight: Pantelleria Obsidian and Neolithic Trade Networks 100 Navigation and Island Colonization 100 Coastal Settlements – The Missing Evidence 104 Trade, Exchange and the Value of Obsidian 105 Colonization of the Islands 109 The Value of Pantelleria Obsidian 110 ii Chapter Nine: Conclusion 114 Final Analysis 114 Conclusion 117 References 119 Appendices 133 Appendix A: Analysis Tables 134 Appendix B: Analysis Charts 238 iii List of Tables Table 1: Scale, size, and distance factors 5 Table 2: Balata dei Turchi Collection Frequency by Waypoint 67 Table 3: Visual Analysis of Geologic Samples from Pantelleria 135 Table 4: Density Measurements of Geologic Samples from Pantelleria 206 Table 5: Density Analysis for artifacts from Pantelleria 226 Table 6: Density Analysis for artifacts from Zembra, Tunisia 227 Table 7: INAA Test Results 232 Table 7: XRF Test Results 235 iv List of Charts Density Analysis of Geologic Samples from Bagno dell’Acqua and Pantelleria Archaeological Sites 239 Density Analysis of Geologic Samples from Balata dei Turchi and Pantelleria Archaeological Sites 242 v List of Figures Figure 1: Location of Western Mediterranean Islands 5 Figure 2: Location of Obsidian Sources in the Western Mediterranean 9 Figure 3: Obsidian Distribution in the Western Mediterranean 12 Figure 4: Glacial and Modern Shorelines in the Western Mediterranean 15 Figure 5: Western Mediterranean Coastlines at 18,000 BP 17 Figure 6: Western Mediterranean Coastlines at 9,000 BP 17 Figure 7: Location of Pantelleria in the Western Mediterranean 39 Figure 8: Example of Volcanic Deposition on Pantelleria 41 Figure 9: Geologic Map of Pantelleria 42 Figure 10: Geologic Sample from Balata dei Turchi 43 Figure 11: Geologic Samples from Salto la Vecchia 44 Figure 12: Geologic Sample from Salto la Vecchia 44 Figure 13: Location of Archaeological Sites on Pantelleria 46 Figure 14: Lithologic Map of Pantelleria 50 Figure 15: Green Tuff Exposure at Salto la Vecchia 51 Figure 16: B. Vargo, R. Tykot and C. Ruppe collecting primary source material below the Green Tuff Deposit at Salto la Vecchia 52 vi Figure 17: T. Setzer collecting primary source material at Salto la Vecchia below the Green Tuff deposit 52 Figure 18: Geological Stratigraphy Just West of Balata dei Turchi 53 Figure 19: Balata dei Turchi Pumice Flow 53 Figure 20: Balata dei Turchi West of Pumice Exposure 54 Figure 21: Location of Obsidian and Green Pantellerite 56 Figure 22: Location of Northern Sample Collection Points 60 Figure 23: Pantellerite Deposits and WWII Bombing Sites at Punta Spadillo 60 Figure 24: In-situ Pantellerite From the Northeastern Slope of Mt. Gelkhamer 61 Figure 25: In-situ Pantellerite From the Eastern Slope of Mt. Gelkhamer 61 Figure 26: Bagno dell’Acqua 62 Figure 27: Secondary Obsidian Deposits in Pumice/Ash Wall at Bagno dell’Acqua 63 Figure 28: Bagno dell’Acqua – Costa Zenti Formation 64 Figure 29: Location of Southern Collection Points 65 Figure 30: Location of Discrete Geologic Layers at Balata dei Turchi 66 Figure 31: In-situ Obsidian at BT3 68 Figure 32: Obsidian debitage collected from Balata dei Turchi 68 Figure 33: Salto la Vecchia Collection Points With Proximity to Balata dei Turchi 69 Figure 34: Salto la Vecchia Escarpment Looking East Toward Balata dei Turchi 69 Figure 35: R. Tykot and V. Colella Collecting Secondary Source Obsidian Samples on the Salto la Vecchia Slope 70 vii Figure 36: R. Tykot Collecting Secondary Samples at the Salto la Vecchia Shoreline 71 Figure 37: Balata dei Turchi Shoreline and Slope 72 Figure 38: Balata dei Turchi Looking Southeast from BT1 72 Figure 39: B. Vargo, T. Setzer and C. Ruppe Collecting Obsidian at Salto la Vecchia 73 Figure 40: T. Setzer Climbing Obsidian To Pre-Green Tuff Obsidian Vein at Salto la Vecchia 73 Figure 41: Density Comparison of Western Mediterranean Obsidian Sources 76 Figure 42: Plot Showing Differences Between Balata dei Turchi, Salto la Vecchia, Mt. Gelkhamer and Bagno dell’Acqua 77 Figure 43: Density Range of Geologic Samples from Bagno dell’Acqua 78 Figure 44: Comparison of Bagno dell’Acqua Geologic Samples and Zembra (Tunisia) Artifacts 79 Figure 45: Four Potential Primary Source Points at Balata dei Turchi 80 Figure 46: Comparison of Zembra Artifacts With Geologic Samples from BT1, BT2, BT3, and BT4 81 Figure 47: Comparison of Geologic Samples From Balata dei Turchi and Salto la Vecchia 82 Figure 48: Comparison of Geologic Samples From Salto la Vecchia and Zembra (Tunisia) Artifacts 83 Figure 49: Density Results of Salto la Vecchia Offshore Geologic Samples 84 Figure 50: Density Results of Balata dei Turchi Offshore Geologic Samples 84 Figure 51: INNA Analysis of Geologic Material From All Collection Points 94 Figure 52: Comparison of Balata dei Turchi and Salto la Vecchia Geologic Samples 95 Figure 53: XRF Analysis of Balata dei Turchi and Bagno dell’Acqua 96 viii Figure 54: XRF Analysis of Possible Balata dei Turchi Sub-sources 97 Figure 55: ICP-MS Analysis of Geologic Samples from Bagno dell’Acqua, Balata dei Turchi and Salto la Vecchia 98 Figure 56: Comparison of Geologic Samples from Balata dei Turchi 99 Figure 57: Rough Seas Between Ponza and Palmarola 102 Figure 58: Direction of Mediterranean Sea Currents 103 Figure 59: Balata dei Turchi Shoreline 115 Figure 60: Bagno dell’Acqua 116 Figure 61: Salto la Vecchia 116 ix Characterization Of Obsidian Sources In Pantelleria, Italy Barbara A. Vargo Abstract The study of prehistoric trade and exchange networks in the Western Mediterranean is directly linked to the identification and location of commodities available to Neolithic communities in that region.