Diffraction Peaks as Tools for Distinguishing Chert from Quartz: Applications on Experimental Materials and Paleolithic Retouchers

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Archaeological Science and African Archaeology: Appreciating the Impact of David Killick" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

When conducting micro-X-ray fluorescence (µXRF) analyses of archaeological and geological materials, diffraction peaks, which are produced by crystalline materials, are typically unwanted and methods are devised to minimize their impact on the sample spectrum. Here, we explore the intentional production and use of diffraction peaks as a tool to distinguish sand-sized fragments of chert from quartz. These two rock types are common raw materials for lithic technology, but have very similar elemental compositions. A variety of rock fragments—including chert and quartz—were embedded in a set of modern bones, and the fragments were analyzed with both µXRF and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The presence of diffraction peaks in the µXRF spectra allowed for fragments of chert to be easily distinguished from fragments of quartz. The approach was then applied to a small sample of bones from the Lower Paleolithic archaeological site of Schöningen (Germany). These bones were used as retouchers, and the combination of targeted analysis of individual rock fragments with elemental mapping of broader areas allowed for the identification of both embedded chert fragments and the correlation of their distribution with specific use-wear traces.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeological Science and African Archaeology: Appreciating the Impact of David Killick   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37089.0