Provenance Analyses of the Volcanic Rock Grinding Stones from the G reek C olony of S elinunte, S icily ( I taly)—Constraints and Possibilities

The petrography as well as the major and trace element compositions of the S elinunte grinding stones, made of grey vesicular lava, were analysed. By comparison with geochemical data from volcanic rocks in the M editerranean, we were able to determine that only a minor number of the tools were extracted from the nearest volcanics of M ount E tna and the H yblean M ountains, while the majority of the grinding stones were most probably imported from the A eolian I slands, although an origin from the A egean cannot be excluded entirely. The results are important in order to scrutinize trading connections, especially for the earlier times of settlement during the sixth century bc .