LITHICS LAB

Chipped Stone Technology
Obsidian
Obsidian, which is a type of natural glass, is formed as volcanic lava cools during eruptions. Obsidian is found in very few countries, but it can be traced to Anatolian sources such as Mount Hasan, Mount Nemrut, Mount Ararat, İkizdere, Sarıkamış, and the terrain around Kars. For many years, Anatolia exported processed obsidian to the Near East and to Cyprus.

The cutting edge of a piece of obsidian is sharper than a scalpel, and it was preferred by tool makers of the Neolithic period. Chipped stone specialist Tristan Carter from McMaster University is studying chemical composition on an obsidian core through a portable X-ray Florescence (pXRF) device.

Ground Stone Technology
All tools made by grinding techniques are called ground stones. In this lab, tools such as grinding stones for food preparation, pestles, and tools that are used in craftsmanship such as paint preparation, plaster polishing, pottery making and shaping, and sculpture and bead making are studied.