Katalin T. Biró

Unlike many elements of the lithic inventory, radiolarites were relatively recently recognised as important elements of the raw material stock for palaeolithic and prehistoric stone tools. They were usually lumped under silex (in general), flint, jasper and opal. The break-through study is probably that of Juráj Bárta who draw attention to one of the key elements of the Palaeolithic raw materials in Slovakia, the Carpathian (Vlara) Radiolarites. Later on, the flint-mine studies in Austria (Wien, Antonshöhe) and the Transdanubian resources (Tata, Hárskút) helped in the recognition of radiolorites in the prehistoric lithic assemblages. Geological mapping in Hungary, especially in Transdanubia duely recognised this siliceous rock of composed of skeletal elements of Radiolaria mainly, almost exclusively, typical of the deep sea regions of the Mesozoic ocean. Opposed to this, radiolarites are still mapped as 'jaspers' in several of the surrounding countries, making the archaeological provenance studies even more difficult.

With the systematical collection and analysis of chipped stone raw materials in the framework of the Lithotheca, the comparative raw material collection of the Hungarian National Museum, the true importance of radiolarites in the lithic inventory became apparent. Radiolarites comprise the bulk of the raw material supply at Transdanubia and constitute a contact marker and one of the most important long distance trade elements in the Alföld region. Its importance was amply documented in former Czechoslovakia and recent studies confirm its mass use in Croatia and Austria.

Several macroscopically separable variants were distinguished among the Hungarian radiolarites, more or less characteristic of source regions. Some of the aesthetically distinguished versions seem to have a distribution range comparable to obsidian. The problem arise with the limitations of the macroscopic approach. We do not really know all concuring source regions and possible limits of the supply zones. Chemical characterisation of the sources on a fine level has only started and the results are still sporadic rather than representative.

This presentation will summarise the state of art of the research in archaeological radiolarites in Hungary and raise questions, especially on the southern limits of distribution that we hope to be able to answer as a result of the urrent Croatian-Hungarian Collaboration project.