Testing the Chert Sourcing Application of Reflectance Spectroscopy

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Drs. Ryan M. Parish and Dr. David H. Dye, of the University of Memphis and collaborator Dr. Haluk Cetin from Murray State University are investigating the application of reflectance spectroscopy in studying prehistoric use of stone resources to determine the geographic source of artifacts recovered in archaeological sites. The researchers' broad goals are to understand past resource consumption in order to better contextualize the present use of natural resources. The structure provided by studying past adaptation to finite resources directly provides modern societies with a basis for current resource strategies and sustainable practices. The researchers are building upon previous studies demonstrating the wealth of cultural data gained by sourcing stone resources and the need to do so with greater precision. Accurate source data allows archaeologists to understand prehistoric procurement, selection, consumption, organization, technology, social networking, and adaptation to dwindling resources. The application of reflectance spectroscopy in archaeological sourcing studies will provide an increased ability to identify specific exploited deposits. The reflectance data paired with existing geologic spectral databases will allow researchers to link stone molecular and mineral variation with the geologic processes that formed the deposit, the theoretical framework of all sourcing studies. The project provides funding for one graduate student in addition to providing training for undergraduate archaeology and anthropology majors at the University of Memphis. Instrumentation will establish a hyperspectral provenance lab at the University of Memphis providing contract services in both the public and private sectors. Dr. Parish and colleagues will focus on the broader development of reflectance spectroscopy in archaeological source studies. A specific focus of the study will be on the geologic characterization of multiple deposits of chert/flint known to have been exploited in prehistory. Linking variation with how the deposit formed is crucial in matching artifacts back to their respected sources. Reflectance spectroscopy is a technique well suited to addressing very sensitive geologic information through the analysis of atomic and molecular structure relating to composition. Whereas, the large amount of chemical variation in chert/flint has frustrated the majority of previous studies, the successful ability to characterize variation will lead to a greater understanding of prehistoric stone resource consumption