The Status and the Role of ‘Chocolate’ Silicite in the Bohemian Neolithic

Abstract

The article focuses on the chronological status of the distribution of ‘chocolate’ silicite originating from the area of south-east Poland in the prehistory of the Czech lands. The flow of ‘chocolate’ silicite across the Carpathian Mountains culminated in the period of the Stroke-Ornamented Ware culture (5100/5000–4500/4400 cal BC) in the area studied. Based on the analysis of the contexts of finds and the classification of the artefacts, the raw material is interpreted as an indicator of the presence of individuals or groups with an exclusive social status. Both the pattern of distribution and the status are common to other ‘exotic’ raw materials, especially for Carpathian obsidian, in the studied area in that same period. By comparing the spatial and chronological image expansion of both materials can lead to similar conclusions in their assessment