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Ceremonial objects or household items? Non‐destructive μ‐ XRD 2 and μ‐ XRF studies on three Neolithic hematite axes from Qatar
Author(s) -
Drechsler Philipp,
Berthold Christoph,
alNaimi Faisal Abdallah,
Eichmann Ricardo
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
arabian archaeology and epigraphy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.384
H-Index - 18
eISSN - 1600-0471
pISSN - 0905-7196
DOI - 10.1111/aae.12029
Subject(s) - hematite , archaeology , pottery , archaeological science , german , geography , settlement (finance) , middle east , ancient history , geology , history , mineralogy , computer science , world wide web , payment
Three small stone axes were collected by the joint Qatari‐German South Qatar Survey Project ( SQSP ) at two places close to the eastern and western coast of Qatar in autumn 2012. Associated with settlement remains, flint artefacts and pieces of ʿUbaid pottery, the implements have been dated to the fifth millennium BCE . Non‐destructive μ‐ XRD 2 and μ‐ XRF analyses could, for the first time, prove the use of hematite as the raw material for the manufacture of these tools in Arabia. The absence of major hematite sources in the region and the special characteristics of hematite — a unique metallic shine of polished pieces and the blood‐red colour that appears during the manufacturing process — suggest the highly symbolic character of these objects.