Spread of obsidian and mobility pattern of humans in the South-Eastern Black Sea Coast
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52603/RA.XXI.1.2025_15Keywords:
Ajara, site, artefacts, obsidian, XRFAbstract
Archaeological excavations conducted at various times along the southeastern Black Sea coast (Ajara) have revealed stone age sites, with a notable collection of flint and obsidian. However, the precise origins of obsidian remain ambiguous. In recent years, Georgian and USA researchers have published noteworthy works connected to origins of obsidian artefacts [Chkhatarashvili, Glascock 2022; Chkhatarashvili et all. 2024a; Chkhatarashvili et all. 2024b]. This work present the results of geochemical analyses conducted on obsidian artefacts discovered at the sites of Kvirike, Jikhanjuri, and Choloki, located within the Kobuleti municipality. The research was carried out using the XRF method at the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Reactor Research (MURR). The analysis identified four different sources of obsidian supply, which once again indicates that the Caucasus region has been an active zone of human mobility and contact since ancient times.
References
Badalyan et all. 2004: R. Badalyan, C. Chataigner, Ph. Kohl, Trans-Caucasian obsidian: The exploitation of the sources and their distribution. Ancient Near East. Stud. (Supplement 12), 2004, 437-465. Peeters.
Berdzenishvili, Nebieridze 1964: N. Berdzenishvili, L. Nebieridze, Kvis khanis namosakhlari k'int'rishis kheobashi. In: (A. Inaishvili ed.), Samkhret-dasavlet sakartvelos dzeglebi, I. (Tbilisi, 1964), 7-16.
Bigazzi et all. 1997: G. Bigazzi, Z. Yegingil, T. Ercan, M. Oddone, M. Özdogan, Age determination of obsidian bearing volcanics in Eastern Anatolia using fission track dating method. Geological Bulletin of Turkey, 40(2), 1997, 57-72 (in Turkish).
Biagi et all. 2017: P. Biagi, R. Nisbet, B. Gratuze, Discovery of obsidian mines on mount Chikiani in the lesser Caucasus of Georgia. Antiquity 91 (357), 2017, 1-8, https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2017.39
Biagi, Nisbet 2018: P. Biagi, R. Nisbet, The Georgian Caucasus and its resources: the exploitation of the mount Chikiani uplands during the metal ages. Antiquity 92 (362), 2018, 1-9, https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2018.53
Bronk Ramsey, Lee 2013: C. Bronk Ramsey, S. Lee, Recent and Planned Development of the Program OxCal. Radiocarbon 55/2-3, 2013, 720-730, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200057878
Chkhatarashvili 2023: G. Chkhatarashvili, Preistoriuli epokhis arkheologiuri dzeglebi Pichvnaris hemogarensi, Pichvnari VIII, (Batumi 2023), 9-23 (in Georgian).
Chkhatarashvili, Glascock 2022: G. Chkhatarashvili M.D. Glascock, Obsidian at Kobuleti (Western Georgia): Evidence for early human contact in Western Transcaucasia during the early Holocene. Archaeological Research in Asia, vol. 29, 2022, 1-8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2021.100348
Chkhatarashvili, Manko 2020: G. Chkhatarashvili V. Manko, Kobuleti Site. The Evidence for Early Holocene Occupation in Western Georgia. Documenta Praehistorica, XLVII, 2020, 28-35, https://doi.org/10.4312/dp.47.2
Chkhatarashvili et all. 2020: G. Chkhatarashvili, V. Manko, A. Kakhidze, K. Esakiya, M. Chichinadze, M. Kulkova, M. Strelcov, South-East Black Sea coast in early Holocene period (according to interdisciplinary investigations in Kobuleti site). Sprawozdania Archeologiczne 72 (2), 2020, 213-230, https://doi.org/10.23858/SA/72.2020.2.2261
Chkhatarashvili et all. 2023a: G. Chkhatarashvili, V. Manko, M. Khalvashi, Apearing of weaving and Early Human activities of South-West Georgia (according to newest studies). Chronos, № 4, 2023, 211-226.
Chkhatarashvili et all. 2023b: G. Chkhatarashvili, V. Manko, M. Khalvashi, The Caucasus andtheMiddle East in theearly Holocene56(According torecent archaeological research). Herald of oriental studies, Vol. VI, 2023, 408-445.
Chkhatarashvili et all. 2024a: G. Chkhatarashvili, M. Chichinadze, M.D. Glascock, J.A. Davenport, M. Khalvashi, L. Aslanishvili, Sh. Rodinadze, Interdisciplinary investigation of the Khutsubani site (Western Georgia). Revista Arheologică, serie nouă, vol. XX, nr. 1, 2024, 171-183,
https://doi.org/10.52603/RA.XX.1.2024_09
Chkhatarshvili et all. 2024b: G. Chkhatarashvili, J.A. Davenport, M.D. Glascock, M. Khalvashi, T. Zoidze, Reconstructing Neolithic obsidian procurement in Western Georgia through an obsidian characterization study. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. vol. 57, 2024,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104663
Chkhatarashvili et all. 2025: G. Chkhatarashvili, N. Tskvitinidze, N. Tsikaridze, J.A. Davenport, M.D. Glascock, New Insights into the Mesolithic and Neolithic Layers of the Darkveti Rock Shelter in the Imereti Region, Western Georgia. Doceumenta Praehistorica, 52, 2025,
https://doi.org/10.4312/dp.52.2
Dittermore 1983: M. Dittermore, The Soundings at M'lefaat. In: (L.S. Braidwood, R.J. Braidwood, B. Howe, C.A. Reed and P.J. Watson eds.), Prehistoric archaeology along the Zagros flanks (Oriental Institute Publication 105). Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 1983, 671-692.
Gallet 2001: S. Gallet, Les obsidiennes de la région de Kars et de Sarıkamıs¸-géochimie et application à l'archéologie, Travail d'étude et de recherche. (Université de Clermont-Ferrand 2001).
Glascock 2020: M.D. Glascock, A systematic approach to geochemical sourcing of obsidian artefacts. Scientific Culture 6, 2020, 35-46.
Gratuze, Rova 2022: B. Gratuze, E. Rova, New data on different patterns of obsidian procurement in Georgia (Southern Caucasus) during the Chalcolithic, Bronze and Iron Age Periods. Archaeological Research in Asia, 32, 2022, 1-17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2022.100397
Gogitidze 1974: S. Gogitidze, Neolituri khanis dzegli md. Cholokis sanapiroze. In: (A. Inaishvili ed.), Samkhretdasavlet sakartvelos dzeglebi. IV (Tbilisi, 1974), 4-33 (in Georgian).
Gogitidze 1978: S. Gogitidze, Samkhret-aghmosavlet shavizghvisp'iretis neolituri k'ult'ura. (Tbilisi 1978) (in Georgian).
Gogitidze 2008: S. Gogitidze 2008, The archaeological sites of the stone age in the Kintrishi valley. (Batumi 2008).
Golovanova et all. 2020: L.V. Golovanova, V.B. Doronichev, E.V. Doronicheva, T.F. Tregub, M.A. Volkov, Y.N. Spasovskiy, A.Yu. Petrov, F.E. Maksimov, A.G. Nedomolkin, Dynamique du climat et du peuplement du Caucase Nord-Central au tournant du Pléistocène et de l'Holocène. L'anthropologie, 124, no. 2, 2020, 1-20, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2020.102759
Hole 1977: F. Hole, Studies in the archeological history of the Deh Luran plain. The Excavation of Chagha Sefid (Memories of the Museum of Anthropology. University of Michigan 9). Ann Arbor: Museum of Anthropology. (University of Michigan 1977), https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.11395563
Hole 1987: F. Hole, Chronologies in the Iranian Neolithic // Chronologies in the Near East: relative chronologies and absolute chronology 16.000-4.000 B.P. C.N.R.S. International symposium, Lyon (France) 24-28 November 1986. - Oxford: BAR, 1987. - P. 353-379. (BAR International Series. Vol. 379).
Howe 1983: B. Howe, Karim Shahir. In (L.S. Braidwood, R.J. Braidwood, B. Howe, C.A. Reed and P.J. Watson eds), Prehistoric Archaeology along The Zagros Flanks (Oriental Institute Publication 105). Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 1983, 23-154.
Hughes 2010: R.E. Hughes, Determining the geologic provenance of tiny obsidian flakes in archaeology using nondestructive EDXRF. American Laboratory 42(7), 2010, 27-31.
Innocenti et all. 1982: F. Innocenti, R. Mazzuoli, G. Pasquaré, F. Radicati di Brozolo, L. Villari, Tertiary and Quaternary volcanism of the Erzurum-Kars area (eastern Turkey): geochronological data and geodynamic evolution. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 13, 1982, 223-40, https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-0273(82)90052-X
Kuzmin et all. 2023: Y.V. Kuzmin, S.A. Kulakov, M.D. Glascock, S.Y. Budnitsky, A.V. Grebennikov, Where is the source? In search of unknown primary obsidian locale in northern Caucasus. Poster presented at the International Obsidian Conference (IOC), Engaru, Japan, 3-6, July, 2023.
Leonova 2021: E.V. Leonova, Grot Sosruko: reviziia materialov iz raskopok S.N. Zamiatnina i radiouglerodnaia khronologiia verkhnikh sloev kamennogo veka. Camera praehistorica, No 1, 2021, 101-119 // Е.В. Леонова, Грот Сосрук: ревизия материалов из раскопок С.Н. Замятнина и радиоуглеродная хронология верхних слоев каменого века. Camera praehistorica, No 1, 2021, 101-119.
Manko, Chkhatarashvili 2022a: V. Manko, G. Chkhatarashvili, Transcaucasia and Neolithic of South of Eastern Europe. Arheologia, № 2, 2022, 19-52, https://doi.org/10.15407/arheologia2022.02.019
Manko, Chkhatarashvili 2022b: V. Manko, G. Chkhatarashvili, Kvirike: The Early Holocene Site in Western Georgia. Revista Arheologică, serie nouă, vol. XVIII, nr. 2, 2022, 5-16.
Meshveliani 2013: T. Meshveliani, K voprosu o vozniknovenii neolita v Zapadnoi Gruzii. Archeologiia, etnografiia i antropologiia Evrazii, 2 (54), 2013, 61-72 // Т. Мешвелиани, К вопросу о возникновении неолита в Западной Грузии. Археология, этнография и антропология Евразии, 2(54), 2013, 61-72, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeae.2013.11.006
Pelegrin 2012: J. Pelegrin, New Experimental Observations for the Characterization of Pressure Blade Production Techniques. In: (P.M. Desrosiers ed.), The Emergence of Pressure Blade Making: From Origin to Modern Experimentation, 2012, 465-500, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2003-3_18
Reimer et all. 2020: P.J. Reimer, W.E.N. Austin, E. Bard, A. Bayliss, P.G. Blackwell, C. Bronk Ramsey, M. Butzin, H. Cheng, R.L. Edwards, M. Friedrich, P.M. Grootes, T.P. Guilderson, I. Hajdas, T. J. Heaton, A. G. Hogg, K. A. Hughen, B. Kromer, S.W. Manning, R. Muscheler, J. G. Palmer, C. Pearson, J. Plicht, R. W. Reimer, D.A. Richards, E.M. Scott, J.R. Southon, C.S.M. Turney, L. Wacker, F. Adolphi, U. Büntgen, M. Capano, S.M. Fahrni, A. FogtmannSchulz, R. Friedrich, P. Köhler, S. Kudsk, F. Miyake, J. Olsen, F. Reining, M. Sakamoto, A. Sookdeo, S. Talamo, The IntCal20 Northern Hemisphere Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curve (0-55 cal kBP). Radiocarbon 62/4, 2020, 725-757, https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2020.41
Tixie 1974: J. Tixie, Glossary for the description of stone tools, with special reference to the Epipaleolithic of the Maghreb, Newsletter of Lithic Technology. Special Publication, 1974, 3-40.
Varoutsikos et all. 2017: B. Varoutsikos, A. Mgeladze, J. Chahoud, M. Gabunia, T. Agapishvili, L. Martin, C. Chataigner, From the Mesolithic to the Chalcolithic in the South Caucasus: New Data from the Bavra Ablari Rock Shelter. In: (A. Batmaz, G. Bedianashvili, A. Michalewicz, A. Robinson eds.), Context and Connection: Essays on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East in Honour of Antonio Sagona. Leuven: Peeters, 2017, 233-255
