1 Poznań University, Institute of Geological Sciences, 61-606 Poznań, ul. Maków Polnych 16
Poland; 2 Katowickie Przedsiębiorstwo Geologiczne, 40-157 Katowice, Al.Korfantego 125 A,
Poland,3 Śląski University, Institute of History, 43-502 Czechowice- Dziedzice, ul. Tetmajera
18/24, Poland.
SERPENTINITES IN NEOLITHIC OF WEST-CENTRAL POLAND AND UPPER SILESIA
Key words: Neolithic, serpentinite, stone industry, west central Poland, and Upper Silesia
Abstract
The paper presents the research results on Neolithic serpentinite tools spread in west central Poland and Upper Silesia.
The long period studies of stone mason activity in Polish Lowland allowed to prove the erratic rocks strong predominance in all considered Neolithic cultures tools. However, many cases of undetermined origin were connected to rocky area of Lower Silesia. But further studies allowed advancing a hypothesis, that the imports of non-siliceous rock raw materials took place not only from Sudety Mountains, but also from areas of Wołyń, Carpathians Mountains and Moravia. In the beginning, the attention was drawn to Sudety basalts presence in Neolithic tools rock material of Polish Lowland, and after that, also to Sudety amphibolites, serpentinites, and nephrites.
The identification of 22 serpentinite tools was possible during macroscopic examinations, among over than 4000 Neolithic stone subjects. Here are 14 axes and 8 adzes. Among these tools, seven (07) subjects were dated as Danubian Cultures, one (01) as Ribbon Ceramic Culture, and two (02) as Epi-String Culture. Four (04) tools have not shown any precise culture belonging. The petrografic detailed study confirmed, that five (05) of these tools were made of serpentinites occuriring inside massif of Gogołów - Jordanów localities. These rock have their are exposed at highest hills surrounding the Ślęża Mountain - on the west, south and southeast. The serpentinite material was displaced and transported along the distance of about 160 - 340 km.
The presence of serpentinite products was noted also at 13 archeological positions in Upper Silesia Region. The String Ceramic Culture axe was made of antigorite serpentinite from Jańska Góra locality. The serpentinite from massif of Gogołów - Jordanów localites was the raw material for further 17 archeological subjects: -
Of String Ceramic Culture (chisels) -
Funnel Beaker Culture (adzes, axes, non - identified fragments) -
Ribbon Ceramic Culture (axes) -
Generally dated as Neolithic (axes, non-identified fragments).
Please find enclosed the paper abstract. Please be informed, that we will send the paper integral text by 10 October 1999.
Unfortunately, we can not be present at the 2 Workshop of UNESCO Project no. 442 Veszprem, on 11 - 13 October 1999.