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AN X‐RAY DIFFRACTION STUDY OF HEAT‐TREATED CHERT AND ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
Author(s) -
WEYMOUTH J. W.,
MANDEVILLE M.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.1975.tb00115.x
Subject(s) - diffraction , prehistory , archaeology , materials science , x ray crystallography , geology , extreme heat , mineralogy , history , physics , optics , climate change , oceanography
It has been established that on occasion prehistoric man heat‐treated siliceous stones in order to improve their flaking qualities. In this work we have examined samples of heat‐treated chert by means of X‐ray diffraction and have established that, in most cases, heat treatment causes an X‐ray diffraction line broadening which can be interpreted as a decrease in range of crystalline order of up to 40%, in the most extreme case. The implications of this to an understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of fracture and as a tool for archaeological studies are discussed.