Consuming local: The new obsidian source of Ideloo (Northwestern Iran) and first evidence of use by neighbouring prehistoric communities

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a recent geological and archaeological survey conducted in the Sarab district (Sabalan area) in Northwestern Iran. This survey aimed to identify potential obsidian outcrops in the region and to investigate archaeological sites in the vicinity to assess their obsidian exploitation patterns. We located a new obsidian source, Ideloo, and surveyed the previously known archaeological sites of Tepe Qalehjoogh, Kultepe Asbfrooshan, Tepe Emam Chay and Qaleh Tepe Abarghan. Here, we describe the methods and results of our surveys, along with the geochemical characterisation, using portable XRF and LA‐ICP‐MS, of both the new outcrop and the obsidian artefacts found on the sites. Our analyses have revealed the consumption of Ideloo obsidian on three of the four sites surveyed, confirming its exploitation by local communities. While validating previous assumptions regarding the existence of potential obsidian sources in Northwestern Iran, our study also highlights the consumption of raw materials originating from the Caucasus or Eastern Anatolia in complement to local resources. However, the diffusion of the Ideloo obsidian seems so far restricted to a small area, which suggests more complex consumption and trade patterns than previously expected.

Extending the scale of obsidian studies: Towards a high‐resolution investigation of obsidian prehistoric circulation patterns in the southern Caucasus and north‐western Iran

“…North-western Iran Compared with Nakhchivan, obsidian consumption in north-western Iranian sites appears to have followed a somewhat different pattern. The analyses so far include the survey assemblages of the Sarab (Orange et al 2020), Lake Urmiah, and Salmas districts (which respectively yielded only 11, 53 and 19 artefacts), as well as the excavated assemblages of Doozdaghi Khoy (40 artefacts) and Tepe Silveh (80 artefacts). From the preliminary results, distinct patterns emerge in the three surveyed areas: the sites located west of Lake Urmiah (Salmas and Urmiah) have revealed an overall predominant use of eastern Anatolian obsidians (Nemrut Dağ, Gügürbaba-Meydan), and a more limited use of the Caucasian sources (Syunik, Gegham).…”

“…From the preliminary results, distinct patterns emerge in the three surveyed areas: the sites located west of Lake Urmiah (Salmas and Urmiah) have revealed an overall predominant use of eastern Anatolian obsidians (Nemrut Dağ, Gügürbaba-Meydan), and a more limited use of the Caucasian sources (Syunik, Gegham). The obsidian from Nemrut Dağ, however, is so far completely absent from the sites located east of Lake Urmiah (Yanik Tepe and Sarab district), whose populations relied on the obsidian from Syunik and Gügürbaba-Meydan, as well as on the local source of Ideloo revealed by recent surveys (Director A. Abedi) (Orange et al 2020). Interestingly, while the obsidian from Syunik is usually attested in every surveyed area, in the region of Salmas this outcrop is only represented by one artefact, found at Qara Tepe.…”

“…Confusion also arises from difficulties in the characterization of the sources, in both the Caucasus and the neighbouring regions. Geological studies are still underway: New outcrops have been identified only recently (e.g., Frahm et al 2017;Orange et al 2020), while others have been redefined (Chataigner et al 2014;Robin et al 2016). In particular, the numerous sources of eastern Anatolia present a high degree of complexity requiring further investigation.…”

“…A secondary obsidian deposit, Bartsratumb, was also reported 30 km south of the Syunik outcrops (Karapetyan 1972), but very few samples appear to have been collected and analysed (however, see Supplementary Data 3 in the additional supporting information). The existence, precise location and knapping suitability reported for the Iranian obsidian outcrops also remain uncertain, although recent fieldwork has started to tackle this specific issue in more detail (Niknami et al 2010;Abedi et al 2018a;Orange et al 2020).…”