The Carpathian obsidians – Contribution to their FT dating and provenance (Zemplín, Slovakia). (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kohút, Milan; Westgate, John A.; Pearce, Nicholas J.G.; Bačo, Pavel
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 37(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Obsidian -- FT dating -- Geochemistry -- Provenance -- Western Carpathians; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.102861
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: The Carpathian obsidians ( C1 ) show narrow FT ages between 12.45 ± 0.45 and 11.62 ± 0.25 Ma. Geochemically are the silica-rich, peraluminous, high-potassium, calc-alkaline rhyolite rocks. Chemical composition of C1 obsidians exhibits a common similarity among all examined localities . On the basis of geochemistry there are obvious difference to Hungarian C2 and Ukrainian C3 obsidians. Abstract: The Carpathian obsidian samples from the Slovakian part of the Zemplín – Tokaj area have been studied by means of fission-track dating (FT) and geochemistry to better understand the provenance of the archaeological obsidians from the Central Europe realm. New FT obsidian ages obtained by the isothermal plateau method (ITPFT) are in a narrow time interval between 12.45 ± 0.45 and 11.62 ± 0.25 Ma, and indicate a short-time monogenic volcanic evolution rather than a long-lasting volcanism over the 16–10 Ma period, as was previously thought. Geochemically, these obsidians belong to the silica-rich, peraluminous, high-potassium, calc-alkaline rhyolite series volcanic rocks with a ferroan character which were derived by multi-stage magmatic processes from mixed mantle and crustal sources during subduction in a volcanic arc tectonic setting. Chemical composition of the Carpathian obsidians clearly exhibits a common similarity among all examined localities (Brehov, Cejkov, Hraň, and Viničky). A comprehensive provenance study, including physical properties of the obsidians, confirms a general congruence within the studied obsidians and the use of common provenance labelling, such as Carpathian-1 ( C1 ) for the Slovakian – Zemplín area obsidians, is recommended.