Lapidary technology revealed by functional analysis of carnelian beads from the early Neolithic site of Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Levant

Iris Groman-Yaroslavski; Daniella E. Bar-Yosef Mayer

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2015.03.030

Lapidary technology revealed by functional analysis of carnelian beads from the early Neolithic site of Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Levant

Iris Groman-Yaroslavski, Daniella E. Bar-Yosef Mayer

Zinman Institute of Archaeology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Use-wear analysis applied to two carnelian beads from Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Israel, and dated to the Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period, revealed a manufacturing procedure that corresponds to genuine lapidary technologies of contemporary traditional societies. Based on ethnographic observations combined with experiments in working carnelian, wear patterns were interpreted to be produced by a multi-stage manufacturing sequence that includes abrasion against varying abrasion surfaces, drilling probably with a splinter drill equipped into a rod and finally, tumbling. These beads are one of the earliest examples of carnelian beads and thus represent a lapidary technology with roots from over 9000 years ago.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	77-88
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Archaeological Science
Volume	58
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2015.03.030
State	Published - 1 Jun 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

Keywords

Abrasion
Carnelian beads
Lapidary
Nahal hemar cave
Polishing
Pre-pottery neolithic B period
Splinter drill
Tumbling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Archaeology
Archaeology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.jas.2015.03.030

Cite this

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title = "Lapidary technology revealed by functional analysis of carnelian beads from the early Neolithic site of Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Levant",

abstract = "Use-wear analysis applied to two carnelian beads from Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Israel, and dated to the Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period, revealed a manufacturing procedure that corresponds to genuine lapidary technologies of contemporary traditional societies. Based on ethnographic observations combined with experiments in working carnelian, wear patterns were interpreted to be produced by a multi-stage manufacturing sequence that includes abrasion against varying abrasion surfaces, drilling probably with a splinter drill equipped into a rod and finally, tumbling. These beads are one of the earliest examples of carnelian beads and thus represent a lapidary technology with roots from over 9000 years ago.",

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Lapidary technology revealed by functional analysis of carnelian beads from the early Neolithic site of Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Levant

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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