Application of non destructive multiparametric protocol for chert characterisation: preliminary data from apulian neolithic sites

In last decades, archaeometric research about obsidian sources and circulation in Central Mediterranean area reached good results, despite what happened for other knappable materials. In much detail, archaeometric literature on cherty materials is poor and discontinuous in time and space. Difficulties in unambiguous characterisation to identify distinguishing features of chert for sourcing, makes relatively hard to compare materials from different regions and retrace ancient trade routes. Current archaeological knowledge about the circulation of chert in central Mediterranean Sea identifies Gargano Promontory as one of the main sources. In addition, the Gargano is located along one of the supposed ways of the spread of the Neolithic in Southern Italy, which is the “bridge” of Adriatic islands connecting the Southern Croatia to the north of Apulia. Our previous study based on macroscopic and chemical analysis of a selection of 151 samples of chert from mining districts and geological outcrops throughout Gargano Promontory (Northern Apulia) provided a reference dataset to compare with new data obtained on flint tools and debitage from archaeological excavated contexts at Scaloria, Masseria Candelaro, Monte Aquilone (Tavoliere area), and Balsignano and Madonna delle Grazie (Murge area). New colorimetric (CIELAB) and chemical (portable XRF) data on 80 samples showed that most of the flints from the Tavoliere settlements share the same chemical/colorimetric features, together with few samples from Murge ones. Further, the flint from Madonna delle Grazie and Balsignano show different compositional groupings not compatible with those of the mining districts of Gargano. The relatively small size of most of these artefacts points to the use of secondary flint sources, associated with the continental deposits from the Tavoliere area, not yet characterised.