Chipped industry from obsidian in Bohemia

Abstract

The work provides an overview of Bohemian finds of prehistoric chipped artefacts made from obsidian. Attention is also paid to the Late Neolithic period, when the share of this raw material in Bohemian assemblages culminates and, at the same time, the finds can be more accurately dated. Two of the richest assemblages, which come from Smiřice and Plotiště nad Labem near Hradec Králové, are analysed in detail. The work also expands its spatial framework to include the Svitavy region due to the close ties between this area and east Bohemia. Obsidian was processed at Stroked Pottery culture settlements in the form of nodules brought to the sites; based on the internal construction of artefacts, only a small number of pieces were extracted at the processing sites. The most probable source of raw material for Bohemian finds are Zemplínské vrchy (the Zemplín Highlands) in southeast Slovakia, while Tokajsko-zemplínské vrchy (the Tokaj-Zemplín Highlands) in northeast Hungary are also possible, albeit less likely.