- Archaeology,
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures,
University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester UK. M13 9PL
Elizabeth Healey
The University of Manchester, Archaeology, Department Member
- Near Eastern Archaeology, Obsidian, Lithics, Prehistoric Archaeology, Material Culture Studies, Archaeology, and 26 moreLate Neolithic Copper Age Personal Ornaments Beads Pendents Bracelets Jewelry Portugal Spain Iberia Social Complexity Craft Specialization Political Economy Exchange Exotic Raw Materials Ivory Variscite Slate Plaques, Trampling, portable XRF (PXRF) in Archaeology and Museum Science, Ancient Near East, Flint (Archaeology), Lithic Raw Material Sourcing, Lithic Technology, Archaeometry, Neolithic Archaeology, Lithic Analysis, Obsidian Sourcing, Experimental Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectroscopy, Lithic Technology (Archaeology), Syria (Archaeology), Archaeological Science, Anatolian Archaeology, Geochemical Characterization of Obsidians, Mesopotamian Archaeology, Prehistory, Archaeological Method & Theory, Stone tools, Middle Bronze Age, Biology, and Philosophy of Scienceedit
Obsidian was used widely in the Near East in prehistoric and early historic times to make tools and other objects. We know quite a lot about its use as a tool-stone, but much less about other objects made from it, although such things in... more
Obsidian was used widely in the Near East in prehistoric and early historic times to make tools and other objects. We know quite a lot about its use as a tool-stone, but much less about other objects made from it, although such things in other contexts would be regarded as markers of identity. This apparent duality of use raises the question of whether the object made or obsidian as a raw material was more significant; it also raises questions about whether the same crafts-people were involved in both the production of tools and other objects or whether they were separated. As research progresses, we are increasingly realising that there is much information that is scattered and that more holistic and integrated approaches are needed. This demands in-depth study of individual objects using multi-disciplinary approaches. Significant areas for further study include the use of geochemical analysis to determine the provenance of the obsidian from which the objects were made and so to ev...
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Composition of Group 3d obsidian from the Middle East, analysed by pXRF (one by PIXE).<br>Campbell, S., Healey, E., & Maeda, O. (2020). Profiling an unlocated source: Group 3d obsidian in prehistoric and early historic near East.... more
Composition of Group 3d obsidian from the Middle East, analysed by pXRF (one by PIXE).<br>Campbell, S., Healey, E., & Maeda, O. (2020). Profiling an unlocated source: Group 3d obsidian in prehistoric and early historic near East. <i>Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports</i>, <i>33</i>, 102533.
Research Interests: Geography and Archaeology
The excavation of two adjacent round barrows at Trelystan, Long Mountain, Powys, in 1979, has revealed a complex sequence of Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age funerary structures and traces of Late Neolithic settlement. The earliest... more
The excavation of two adjacent round barrows at Trelystan, Long Mountain, Powys, in 1979, has revealed a complex sequence of Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age funerary structures and traces of Late Neolithic settlement. The earliest structure was a large pit grave, dated to about 2400 bc, which was superseded at about 2200 bc by a settlement represented by stake-walled buildings associated with Grooved Ware. Following this some activity took place, possibly domestic, which is represented by sherds probably derived from several southern Beakers, which by analogy with sites elsewhere are to be dated to a period after about 1850 bc. The subsequent Bronze Age cemetery, dated to between about 1800 and 1500 bc (but possibly continuing later), presents a sequence of burial types and structures which can broadly be seen to illustrate a change from the concept of barrow cemetery to that of cemetery barrow. The earliest burials, which consist of cremations in pits and occasionally accompani...
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Evidence for working rock crystal, a rare form of water-clear type of quartz, is occasionally recovered from prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland, however, very little has been written on the specific methods of working this material,... more
Evidence for working rock crystal, a rare form of water-clear type of quartz, is occasionally recovered from prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland, however, very little has been written on the specific methods of working this material, and its potential significance in the past. This paper presents the first synthesis of rock crystal evidence from Britain and Ireland, before examining a new assemblage from the Early Neolithic site of Dorstone Hill, Herefordshire. This outlines a methodology for analysing and interpreting this unusual material, and, through comparison with the flint assemblage, examines the specific uses and treatments of this material. Far from being used to make tools, we argue the distinctive and exotic rock crystal was being used to create distinctive and memorable moments, binding individuals together, forging local identities, and connecting the living and the dead.
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The idea of holding a conference to discuss how we can explore what affects our approaches to, and understanding of, lithic artefacts and their analysis emerged from a hands-on workshop entitled Northern Knap-in in November 2014. In that... more
The idea of holding a conference to discuss how we can explore what affects our approaches to, and understanding of, lithic artefacts and their analysis emerged from a hands-on workshop entitled Northern Knap-in in November 2014. In that workshop we wanted to explore how prehistoric people in the north of England, which is perceived by many as being a (lithic)resource-poor region, might have adapted to the lack of good quality flint and chert for tool manufacture and so we experimented with the working of non-flint raw materials. Many things emerged from that day including how the experimental knapping of materials other than flint allowed us to think outside the conventional box, and how communal knapping and grinding demonstrated some of the different ways that people interacted and adapted to each other’s rhythm when making artefacts. We were also struck (excuse the pun) by how much non-lithic specialists contributed to the questions we raise in lithic analysis. This brought home...
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Research Interests: Geography and Archaeology
Research Interests: Engineering and Stone Age
Kenan Tepe is a multi-period mound located on the Tigris River in the area due to be flooded by the Ilisu Dam, in Diyarbakir province, southeastern Turkey (figure 1).1 The site lies on the north bank of the river about 15 kilometers west... more
Kenan Tepe is a multi-period mound located on the Tigris River in the area due to be flooded by the Ilisu Dam, in Diyarbakir province, southeastern Turkey (figure 1).1 The site lies on the north bank of the river about 15 kilometers west of the Tigris-Batman confluence. In preparation for a monograph length publication that will appear in the
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Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Geology, and 15 moreAnatolian Archaeology, Neolithic Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, Chalcolithic Archaeology, Arabian Gulf, Obsidian, Ancient Near East, Roman Syria (Archaeology), Prehistory, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Chalcolithic, Obsidian Sourcing, archaeology in Iraq, Ubaid culture, and Arabian Peninsula In Antiquity
Obsidian was used to make tools and luxury items which were widely distributed in the ancient Near East. At most sites it is an imported material and, as such, has been used as an indicator of exchange, although little specific detail of... more
Obsidian was used to make tools and luxury items which were widely distributed in the ancient Near East. At most sites it is an imported material and, as such, has been used as an indicator of exchange, although little specific detail of the nature of that exchange is available. Even though methods of provenance analysis for obsidian are well established, often only a few samples per site have been analysed. This means there is not enough information to indicate the relative importance of the obsidian from each source, or to establish whether source preference changed through time or whether obsidians from different sources were treated differently. The restriction in numbers analysed is, at least in part, due to the expense and the destructive nature of provenance analysis and problems associated with obtaining sufficient samples. In an attempt to address these problems case-studies examining the obsidian assemblages from three sites of Halaf date will be used to demonstrate the po...
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Excavation and survey at Danby Rigg, North Yorkshire, produced evidence of activity on the site ranging from the Early Bronze Age to the Viking period. Re-excavation of a ring-cairn confirmed the account of J.C. Atkinson and enabled early... more
Excavation and survey at Danby Rigg, North Yorkshire, produced evidence of activity on the site ranging from the Early Bronze Age to the Viking period. Re-excavation of a ring-cairn confirmed the account of J.C. Atkinson and enabled early bronze age radiocarbon dates to be obtained, but produced no further finds. A summary account of excavations by the Scarborough Archaeological Society on further early bronze age monuments is given. Survey in the adjoining cairnfield demonstrated that the site does not contain a regular field system though stone clearance was an evident pre-occupation; the nature of the economic practices adopted is discussed. A section cut through the massive Triple Dykes at the south end of the site, hitherto assumed to be of bronze age date, produced radiocarbon dates of the Viking period.
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One site was a multi-phase Neolithic mortuary structure with successive ditches surrounding post-hole arrangements, one pair of posts bracketing two burials. Neolithic plain and Peterborough wares were present and the final form of the... more
One site was a multi-phase Neolithic mortuary structure with successive ditches surrounding post-hole arrangements, one pair of posts bracketing two burials. Neolithic plain and Peterborough wares were present and the final form of the monument was a round barrow. On Site 2 two round barrows lay over large Beaker grave-pits. Sites 3 and 4 were ring-ditches, the second having human bones in the ditch fill. Ian Kinnes discusses the likely evolution of the henge from circular Neolithic enclosures of partly interchangeable domestic-mortuary-ritual functions, filling the gap between long barrows and henges
A previously unrecorded bell barrow, surviving as a low mound on the flood plain of the River Nene, was excavated in the winter months of 1981 before its destruction by gravel quarrying. A scatted of cremated bones, in apparent... more
A previously unrecorded bell barrow, surviving as a low mound on the flood plain of the River Nene, was excavated in the winter months of 1981 before its destruction by gravel quarrying. A scatted of cremated bones, in apparent association with a bronze ogival dagger, was the only evidence of burial. The barrow was significant and controversial, as it was the first in the country to produce radiocarbon dates for the Bronze Age Wessex Culture. An extensive area of burning produced wood charcoal dated to 1220bc +/- 50 and 1260bc +/- 60. At the time these dates were deemed to be unacceptably late, although with the subsequent recognition of the need for calibration the resultant dates, spanning 1530-1410CalBC, place the activity at the very end of the Early Bronze Age.
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Provenancing of obsidian artefacts has become an increasingly common practice in Near Eastern archaeology. However, knowledge of the geological sources of obsidian remains variable. The Group 3d source remains the prime example; it was... more
Provenancing of obsidian artefacts has become an increasingly common practice in Near Eastern archaeology. However, knowledge of the geological sources of obsidian remains variable. The Group 3d source remains the prime example; it was identified as chemically distinct in the 1960s and can be recognised as eastern Anatolian but it still lacks a specific geological location and has remained a minor detail in most publications. This article draws attention to the previously underappreciated importance of the source in later prehistoric periods, profiling assemblages of Group 3d obsidian artefacts from Ubaid and Chalcolitihic Kenan Tepe and Halaf Domuztepe in south east Turkey, as well as more isolated artefacts from a further twelve sites. It reviews our knowledge of the chemical composition of Group 3d obsidian and its physical characteristics. The article also explores the spatial and chronological distribution of this type of obsidian, which had a particular significance from the 7...
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&quot;The obsidian artefacts from the Burnt House at Tell Arpachiyah, a sixth millennium site in Northern Mesopotamia, are exceptional in many respects and show complex life histories. Arpachiyah has also been considered a regional... more
&quot;The obsidian artefacts from the Burnt House at Tell Arpachiyah, a sixth millennium site in Northern Mesopotamia, are exceptional in many respects and show complex life histories. Arpachiyah has also been considered a regional centre. In this study we integrate provenance analysis, techno-typological characteristics and skill-related attributes to re-appraise these artefacts and to examine their importance for understanding the function and meaning of their context in an immediately pre-urban period in which complex societies are beginning to emerge.&quot;
Tills thesis Is primarily concerned with identifying the change in form and methods of hafting and the evidence for the use of lustred flint blades (sickles) in the Eplpalaeolithic and Heolithic of the near East (Israel, Jordan, Syria,... more
Tills thesis Is primarily concerned with identifying the change in form and methods of hafting and the evidence for the use of lustred flint blades (sickles) in the Eplpalaeolithic and Heolithic of the near East (Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Anatolia, Iraq and W.Iran) between c 10,000 and 5000 bc, though subsequent developments are also summarized. Chapter I summarizes the history of research and outlines the issues involved. Chapter II is concerned with the environmental and cultural background against which lustred blades are evaluated. Evidence for function is dealt with in Chapter III. Various sources provide information, including contemporary (though rather late) written and iconographic sources, ethnographic parallels, experimental replication and functional analysis of the blades. Chapter IV summarizes the quite considerable body of evidence for hafting and over 70 hafts are described in detail in Appendix II, Chapters V and VI concentrate on the change of form of lustred blades. The methodology of the analysis of the blades is outlined at the beginning of Chapter V and a sample of lustred blades from Jericho is used as a case study. In Chapter VI lustred blades from a number of sites in different environments are considered in detail and discussed against the cultural background outlined in Chapter II. together with contemporary evidence for hafting and function. Chapter VII is a summary of the results and concludes that illustred blades, when considered in a wider context, have a potential importance for the reconstruction of past economies. The Appendices contain a list of the relevant C14 dates, a catalogue of hafts, details of the attributes examined and the type list, as well as a description of lustred blades from selected sites.
The excavations led by Margaret and Tom Jones on the Thames gravel terraces at Mucking, Essex, undertaken between 1965 and 1978 are legendary. The largest area excavation ever undertaken in the British Isles, involving around 5000... more
The excavations led by Margaret and Tom Jones on the Thames gravel terraces at Mucking, Essex, undertaken between 1965 and 1978 are legendary. The largest area excavation ever undertaken in the British Isles, involving around 5000 participants, recorded around 44,000 archaeological features dating from the Beaker to Anglo-Saxon periods and recovered something in the region of 1.7 million finds of Mesolithic to post-medieval date. While various publications have emerged over the intervening years, the death of both directors, insufficient funding, many organisational complications and the sheer volume of material evidence have severely delayed full publication of this extraordinary palimpsest landscape. Lives in Land is the first of two major volumes which bring together all the evidence from Mucking, presenting both the detail of many important structures and assemblages and a comprehensive synthesis of landscape development through the ages: settlement histories, changing land-use,...
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A Springfield, Essex, un long enclos décelable grâce aux cultures et identifié comme étant une allée empierrée du Néolithique a été étudié entre 1979 et 1985 pour en confirmer la date et établir une séquence d'occupation du site.... more
A Springfield, Essex, un long enclos décelable grâce aux cultures et identifié comme étant une allée empierrée du Néolithique a été étudié entre 1979 et 1985 pour en confirmer la date et établir une séquence d'occupation du site. L'enclos mesurait environ 690 m. de long et entre 37 ...
Research Interests: Archaeology and Art
The report on partial rescue excavations of the Collfryn enclosure between 1980–82 presents a summary of the first large-scale investigation of one of the numerous semi-defensive cropmark and earthwork enclosure sites in the upper Severn... more
The report on partial rescue excavations of the Collfryn enclosure between 1980–82 presents a summary of the first large-scale investigation of one of the numerous semi-defensive cropmark and earthwork enclosure sites in the upper Severn valley in mid-Wales. Earlier prehistoric activity of an ephemeral nature is represented by a scattering of Mesolithic and Late Neolithic or early Bronze Age flintwork, and by a pit containing sherds of several different Beaker vessels. The first enclosed settlement, constructed in about the 3rd century bc probably consisted of three widely-spaced concentric ditches, associated with banks of simple dump construction, having a single gated entranceway on the downhill side. It covered an area of about 2.5 ha and appears to have been of a relatively high social status, and appropriate in size for a single extended-family group. This was subsequently reduced in about the 1st century bc to a double-ditched enclosure, by the recutting of the original inner...
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The obsidian mirror associated with the Elizabethan polymath and magus John Dee (1527–1608/1609) has been an object of fascination for centuries. The mirror, however, has a deeper history as an Aztec artefact brought to Europe soon after... more
The obsidian mirror associated with the Elizabethan polymath and magus John Dee (1527–1608/1609) has been an object of fascination for centuries. The mirror, however, has a deeper history as an Aztec artefact brought to Europe soon after the Spanish conquest. The authors present the results of new geochemical analysis, and explore its history and changing cultural context to provide insights into its meaning during a period in which entirely new world views were emerging. The biography of the mirror demonstrates how a complex cultural history underpins an iconic object. The study highlights the value of new compositional analyses of museum objects for the reinterpretation of historically significant material culture.
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Obsidian is often seen as a proxy for exchange and networking even though the relationship between these elements can be somewhat indirect. Nevertheless, recent studies which involve the provenance analysis of a large number of artefacts... more
Obsidian is often seen as a proxy for exchange and networking even though the relationship between these elements can be somewhat indirect. Nevertheless, recent studies which involve the provenance analysis of a large number of artefacts from a single site have opened up a number of avenues which are simply not visible when only a small number of artefacts can be provenanced. In this paper, after evaluating the efficacy of our pXRF protocol for the provenancing of large numbers of obsidian artefacts, we go on to use the data set we generated from Kenan Tepe, in SE Turkey, to discuss the wide range of sources present including the hitherto poorly understood Group 3d. Our integrated study of the techno-morphological and contextual aspects of the artefacts alongside the provenance analysis also allows us to track the use of obsidian through time and to profile the use of individual sources.
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The obsidian mirror associated with the Elizabethan polymath and magus John Dee (1527-1608/1609) has been an object of fascination for centuries. The mirror, however, has a deeper history as an Aztec artefact brought to Europe soon after... more
The obsidian mirror associated with the Elizabethan polymath and magus John Dee (1527-1608/1609) has been an object of fascination for centuries. The mirror, however, has a deeper history as an Aztec artefact brought to Europe soon after the Spanish conquest. The authors present the results of new geochemical analysis, and explore its history and changing cultural context to provide insights into its meaning during a period in which entirely new world views were emerging. The biography of the mirror demonstrates how a complex cultural history underpins an iconic object. The study highlights the value of new compositional analyses of museum objects for the reinterpretation of historically significant material culture.
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Fieldwork east of Oakham, Rutland has located evidence of prehistoric settlement, land use patterns, and ceremonial monuments. Part of this included the excavation of a cropmark site which has revealed an unusual sequence of... more
Fieldwork east of Oakham, Rutland has located evidence of prehistoric settlement, land use patterns, and ceremonial monuments. Part of this included the excavation of a cropmark site which has revealed an unusual sequence of Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pit circles and a burial area. This is complemented by a fieldwalking survey of the surrounding areas, allowing consideration of the relationship of juxtaposed flint scatters and the excavated ceremonial area.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Radiocarbon, DISTRIBUTION, Ceramics, Bronze Age, and 6 moreDating, CORE, Vegetation, Plan, Distribution, and Nucleus
Obsidian artifacts are geochemically traceable to their geological sources of origin. The results of their analysis provide some of the most accurate testimonies of interaction, exchange and population movement. This article presents... more
Obsidian artifacts are geochemically traceable to their geological sources of origin. The results of their analysis provide some of the most accurate testimonies of interaction, exchange and population movement. This article presents results of obsidian analyses of artifacts from twelve sites from the Middle Euphrates to the Arabian Gulf. We demonstrate that the Sıcaksu flow of Nemrut Dağ in eastern Turkey consistently supplied obsidian to the majority of sites across this region from the 7th to 4th millennia BCE. This outcrop predominated in analyzed assemblages and as a production material for the region, across all site positions, sizes and periods; this has been argued to be a result of the quality, quantity and accessibility of this flow (Robin et al., 2016). The analyses demonstrate the presence of mainly finished products from a variety of additional sources in eastern Anatolia and Armenia (average N 4 sources) on northern Mesopotamian sites during this time span. We argue that the Nemrut region was a major economic node and chief actor in the establishment and dynamics of networks in the greater region. The diachronic persistence or breaks in obsidian supply from more minor sources are an additional source of information on the inner workings and development of subtle interregional socio-political and economic relations. Obsidian analysis provides a detailed picture of the contributions of increasingly complex networks and channels of communication to intensified adoption of common practices and styles across regions, to intensifica-tion of processes leading to urbanization and state formation, and to accentuating periods of stress and conflict. These data nourish and update existing models on social networks during the crucial Ubaid to Late Chalcolithic periods and advance debates on the role and impact of these networks on early state formation.
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anatolian Archaeology, Neolithic Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, and 13 moreChalcolithic Archaeology, Arabian Gulf, Obsidian, Ancient Near East, Anatolian Archaeology (Archaeology), Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Prehistory, Syria (Archaeology), Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Obsidian Sourcing, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, archaeology in Iraq, and Ubaid culture
The so-called ‘obsidian mirrors’ found in Anatolia and the Near East are some of the most remarkable objects produced by prehistoric peoples. They are made on a variety of blanks, and tend to be singled out because of their... more
The so-called ‘obsidian mirrors’ found in Anatolia and the Near East are some of the most remarkable objects produced by prehistoric peoples. They are made on a variety of blanks, and tend to be singled out because of their high reflectivity and shape (circular) of the surface. Such factors imply considerable investment in design and technology and suggest that they were not everyday items; however little is known about their manufacture or purpose.
Suggestions include cosmetic mirrors (partly because many were found in female graves at Çatalhöyük), light reflecting devices and mirrors used in divination but there is no concrete evidence as to their use. To date our interpretation rests almost entirely on typological categorisation which has had a severely limiting effect on our understanding. This project aims to review the data relating to mirrors with a view to gathering information that will assist in elucidating how they were used and what was involved in their manufacture.
As well as documenting obsidian and other similar objects in time and space, and factors such as symbolic and cultural meanings, a major part of our project involves the investigation of their technological characteristics through replication and examination of the objects including use-wear and residue analysis. In this research, we will evaluate some aspects of our methodology using things like the refractive indexes (RI) and surface topographies of different types of ground-and-polished obsidian objects (including mirrors) to see if there is a difference. RI can be determined using the ‘optical natural glass property test’ by the oil immersion method or by Glass Refractive Index Measurement (GRIM); glass density measurement will also be considered using a variable density fluid method. Confocal microscopy and interferometry are currently being used to determine.
Suggestions include cosmetic mirrors (partly because many were found in female graves at Çatalhöyük), light reflecting devices and mirrors used in divination but there is no concrete evidence as to their use. To date our interpretation rests almost entirely on typological categorisation which has had a severely limiting effect on our understanding. This project aims to review the data relating to mirrors with a view to gathering information that will assist in elucidating how they were used and what was involved in their manufacture.
As well as documenting obsidian and other similar objects in time and space, and factors such as symbolic and cultural meanings, a major part of our project involves the investigation of their technological characteristics through replication and examination of the objects including use-wear and residue analysis. In this research, we will evaluate some aspects of our methodology using things like the refractive indexes (RI) and surface topographies of different types of ground-and-polished obsidian objects (including mirrors) to see if there is a difference. RI can be determined using the ‘optical natural glass property test’ by the oil immersion method or by Glass Refractive Index Measurement (GRIM); glass density measurement will also be considered using a variable density fluid method. Confocal microscopy and interferometry are currently being used to determine.
