1996/01/01 by Joseph Yellin, Thomas E. Levy, Yorke M. Rowan · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · Arts and Humanities · #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Isotope Analysis in Ecology #Ancient Near East History
paper · doi:10.1179/009346996791973873
openalex publication_date 1996/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Obsidian artifacts are rare finds in prehistoric sites in Israel. The scarcity of the material and the absence of obsidian sources in Israel makes such artifacts especially important for understanding ancient exchange patterns. The closest sources of obsidian found in Israel are in the Cycladic Islands of Greece to the west and Anatolia to the north. Using neutron activation analysis (NAA), we identify the origin of seven obsidian artifacts from the Chalcolithic (ca. 4500–3500 B.C.) site of Gil at in Israel's northern Negev desert. These finds have been traced to the Nemrut Dağarea of eastern Anatolia, Göllü Dağin central Anatolia, and, most interestingly, Hotamis Dağ also in central Anatolia.