The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory

[EN] A study of the chert nodules found in the Escalada Formation (Carboniferous, Ponga region, Cantabrian Zone) was carried out as a means to characterise a number of lithic raw materials found in several prehistoric sites of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). This study comprises fieldwork aimed...

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Autores: Fuertes Prieto, María Natividad, Fernández Martínez, Esperanza, Gómez Fernández, Fernando, Alonso Herrero, Eduardo, Herrero Alonso, Diego, Neira Campos, Ana Isabel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Institución:Universidad de León
Repositorio:BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de León
OAI Identifier:oai:buleria.unileon.es:10612/20594
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10612/20594
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Prehistoria
Escalada Formation
Lithic Raw Materials
Carboniferous “black Chert”
Cantabrian Mountains
Ponga Unit
5504.05 Prehistoria
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spelling The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistoryFuertes Prieto, María NatividadFernández Martínez, EsperanzaGómez Fernández, FernandoAlonso Herrero, EduardoHerrero Alonso, DiegoNeira Campos, Ana IsabelPrehistoriaEscalada FormationLithic Raw MaterialsCarboniferous “black Chert”Cantabrian MountainsPonga Unit5504.05 Prehistoria[EN] A study of the chert nodules found in the Escalada Formation (Carboniferous, Ponga region, Cantabrian Zone) was carried out as a means to characterise a number of lithic raw materials found in several prehistoric sites of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). This study comprises fieldwork aimed at locating the outcrops and obtaining samples. Some selected samples from two localities were used for both petrological (macroscopic and microscopic analyses from thin sections) and geochemical (X-ray fluorescence and powder diffraction) analysis. The macroscopic study shows a rather homogeneus coloration and a conchoidal fracture although two extreme types of cherts with a variety of intermediate forms can be differentiated according to the matrix composition. The microscopic analysis shows a high heterogeneity in carbonate versus silica percentage and gentle differences in some other features such as type of silica, origin of carbonates, occurrence of organic matter and type of skeletal components. The results of several geochemical analysis suggest that there are not geochemical features neither in the major elements nor in the traces that allows us to clearly distinguish between the analysed samples. All these studies allow us to define the main features of these chert nodules and to establish several types and varieties among them. Those varieties with high percentage of silica and with a more homogeneous matrix are the most suitable samples for knapping. These results together with the study of the geological and geographical location of archaeological sites suggest that the nodules from the Escalada Formation likely were lithic material supply sources used in knapping activities When aiming to demonstrate the use of these materials at archaeological sites the sole macroscopic analysis of the pieces does not suffice; further analyses, such as those involving thin sections, are necessary. The absence of chert from Escalada Formation in some Mesolithic sites in the area was confirmed via these additional analyses.SIThis study was supported by funds from project AF-87 “Análisis de industrias líticas prehistóricas: materias primas y tecnología” of the Vicerrectorado de Investigación (Universidad de León, Spain).School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of EdinburghPrehistoriaFacultad de Filosofia y Letras2016info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10612/20594reponame:BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Leóninstname:Universidad de LeónIngléshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:buleria.unileon.es:10612/205942026-06-24T12:43:27Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
title The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
spellingShingle The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
Fuertes Prieto, María Natividad
Prehistoria
Escalada Formation
Lithic Raw Materials
Carboniferous “black Chert”
Cantabrian Mountains
Ponga Unit
5504.05 Prehistoria
title_short The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
title_full The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
title_fullStr The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
title_full_unstemmed The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
title_sort The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Fuertes Prieto, María Natividad
Fernández Martínez, Esperanza
Gómez Fernández, Fernando
Alonso Herrero, Eduardo
Herrero Alonso, Diego
Neira Campos, Ana Isabel
author Fuertes Prieto, María Natividad
author_facet Fuertes Prieto, María Natividad
Fernández Martínez, Esperanza
Gómez Fernández, Fernando
Alonso Herrero, Eduardo
Herrero Alonso, Diego
Neira Campos, Ana Isabel
author_role author
author2 Fernández Martínez, Esperanza
Gómez Fernández, Fernando
Alonso Herrero, Eduardo
Herrero Alonso, Diego
Neira Campos, Ana Isabel
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Prehistoria
Facultad de Filosofia y Letras
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Prehistoria
Escalada Formation
Lithic Raw Materials
Carboniferous “black Chert”
Cantabrian Mountains
Ponga Unit
5504.05 Prehistoria
topic Prehistoria
Escalada Formation
Lithic Raw Materials
Carboniferous “black Chert”
Cantabrian Mountains
Ponga Unit
5504.05 Prehistoria
description [EN] A study of the chert nodules found in the Escalada Formation (Carboniferous, Ponga region, Cantabrian Zone) was carried out as a means to characterise a number of lithic raw materials found in several prehistoric sites of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). This study comprises fieldwork aimed at locating the outcrops and obtaining samples. Some selected samples from two localities were used for both petrological (macroscopic and microscopic analyses from thin sections) and geochemical (X-ray fluorescence and powder diffraction) analysis. The macroscopic study shows a rather homogeneus coloration and a conchoidal fracture although two extreme types of cherts with a variety of intermediate forms can be differentiated according to the matrix composition. The microscopic analysis shows a high heterogeneity in carbonate versus silica percentage and gentle differences in some other features such as type of silica, origin of carbonates, occurrence of organic matter and type of skeletal components. The results of several geochemical analysis suggest that there are not geochemical features neither in the major elements nor in the traces that allows us to clearly distinguish between the analysed samples. All these studies allow us to define the main features of these chert nodules and to establish several types and varieties among them. Those varieties with high percentage of silica and with a more homogeneous matrix are the most suitable samples for knapping. These results together with the study of the geological and geographical location of archaeological sites suggest that the nodules from the Escalada Formation likely were lithic material supply sources used in knapping activities When aiming to demonstrate the use of these materials at archaeological sites the sole macroscopic analysis of the pieces does not suffice; further analyses, such as those involving thin sections, are necessary. The absence of chert from Escalada Formation in some Mesolithic sites in the area was confirmed via these additional analyses.
publishDate 2016
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2016
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/10612/20594
url https://hdl.handle.net/10612/20594
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh
publisher.none.fl_str_mv School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de León
instname:Universidad de León
instname_str Universidad de León
reponame_str BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de León
collection BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de León
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15.301603

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