4/15/2023 0 Comments Obsidian scalpel studiesThe artefacts were left there during the height of the world's first empire, the Akkadian Empire, which invaded Syria in the Bronze Age. Just as important as their distant origin is where the artefacts were found: a royal palace courtyard. However, the team discovered a set of exotic obsidian artefacts originating from a volcano in central Turkey, three times farther away. ![]() Most of the obsidian at Tell Mozan (and surrounding archaeological sites) originated from volcanoes 200km away in what is now eastern Turkey, as expected from models of ancient trade developed by archaeologists over the last five decades. Using novel methods and technologies, the team successfully uncovered the hitherto unknown origins and movements of the coveted raw material during the Bronze Age, more than four millennia ago. In an interdisciplinary collaboration, researchers from social and earth sciences studied obsidian tools excavated from the archaeological site of Tell Mozan, located in Syria near the borders with Turkey and Iraq. In fact, obsidian tools continued to be used throughout the ancient Middle East for millennia beyond the introduction of metals, and obsidian blades are still used today as scalpels in specialised medical procedures. Obsidian, naturally occurring volcanic glass, is smooth, hard, and far sharper than a surgical scalpel when fractured, making it a highly desired raw material for crafting stone tools for most of human history. ![]() An interdisciplinary research team hopes this new discovery, which has major implications for understanding the world's first empire, will help to highlight the importance of protecting Syria's heritage. Ancient sites and cultural heritage are under threat in Syria due to the current conflict.
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