The worked quartz vein at Cnoc Dubh, Uig parish, Isles of Lewis, Western Isles: presentation and discussion of a small prehistoric quarry

Abstract

In 2002, an examination was carried out of a small quartz vein at the knoll of Cnoc Dubh, a few hundred metres from the southern shores of Loch Ceann Hulabhig on the Isle of Lewis (NGR NB 2318 2998). The vein proved to have been worked in prehistoric time, defining it as a quarry, and it was measured, photographed and characterized. In the present paper, the Cnoc Dubh quartz quarry is presented in detail, to allow comparison with other lithic quarries, and it is attempted to define attributes diagnostic of prehistoric exploitation, and to schematically describe the 'mining operations' by which the quartz was procured. As part of this process,quartz quarrying is compared to the procurement of other lithic and stone raw materials, mainly drawing on research from Scandinavia, Australia and the USA, and the location of quartz quarries in relation to prehistoric settlements is discussed. The average distance between quartz sources and Neolithic - Bronze Age sites on Lewis is then used to discuss ownership of, and access to, prehistoric quartz sources, as well as the possible exchange of quartz.

Quartz technology in Scottish prehistory

“…This work was financed by Historic Scotland and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and practical assistance was provided by the Shetland Museum and its staff. As part of the general analysis of quartz procurement, the worked quartz vein, or quarry, of Cnoc Dubh on Lewis was inspected (2002), and a paper was produced (Ballin 2004e) in which the technical and territorial/social background to quartz procurement was explored. This sub-project was supported financially by the Catherine MacKichan's Bursary Trust, and practical assistance in the field was received from Western Isles Archaeologist Mary MacLeod and local amateur archaeologist James Crawford. In response to an almost complete absence of reports on burnt quartz from excavated sites, the author decided to look into this question (Section 4.4.3).…”

“…Though the possible sources of quartz were occasionally discussed in general terms, that is, assemblages with abraded cortex are from pebble sources and assemblages without probably from vein sources, quartz procurement was not discussed in detail until recently (Ballin 2004e). Apart from Lebour's interesting and innovative paper of 1914, social aspects of quartz use have only begun to be discussed in the beginning of the 21st century (eg Darvill 2002;Warren & Neighbour 2004), as a response to the general criticism of traditional (processual) archaeology and its lack of interpretation of the meticulously characterized finds (Renfrew & Bahn 1996, 43).…”

“…This proposition is supported by the fact that the three resources are characterized by different distribution patterns, and different patterns of usage. The analysis of the Lewisian quartz forms (Ballin 2004e) and their distribution in relation to prehistoric settlements indicate that 'ordinary' quartz was procured within the limits of traditional catchment areas (radius c 10km), and they were used for the production of all tool types; 'ordinary' quartz was not exchanged, and access to the sources was probably in the control of individual families. 'Greasy' quartz may have been procured mainly in the Shieldaig area of Argyll, and if this assumption is correct, it was exchanged across up to 100km; a dual use pattern, with allpurpose use near the source and more selective use away from the source (mainly arrowheads), indicate the existence of two parties -the controlling group at Shieldaig (all-purpose use) and the receiving groups further afield, to whom ownership of artefacts in 'greasy' quartz was mainly emblematic (Wiessner 1983) and indicated their inclusion in a regional alliance.…”

Instrumentos líticos de cuarzo, prácticas sociales y vida campesina durante el primer milenio de la Era en el este de Catamarca, Argentina

“…Esta situación ha sido planteada por investigadores e investigadoras a escala global y regional, generándose intensos debates y aportes a partir de los que se propuso salir del flint syndrome (Knutsson 1998) que implica la necesidad de entender las dinámicas de fractura particulares del cuarzo de manera diferente a las de otras materias primas de mejor calidad para la talla, así como para el registro de rasgos tecnológicos diagnósticos. A partir de esta situación, se generó incluso una suerte de polémica tendiente a plantear si el cuarzo debía ser analizado a partir de una metodología particular, específica para esta materia prima (de Lombera Hermida 2009;Driscoll 2009), o si era necesaria la utilización de métodos de análisis efectivos para otras materias primas (Ballin 2004;Beardsell 2013). Pero aquí no nos convoca discutir sobre esta temática, sino más bien hacer referencia a esta característica del cuarzo como materia prima y la relevancia que pueden tener aportes como el de este trabajo.…”

“…Son muchas las investigaciones que se han centrado en este punto, vinculadas a diversas preguntas, como el comportamiento del cuarzo frente a la talla, el uso de la técnica bipolar, las características de los desechos indiferenciados, entre otras preguntas (Callahan 1987;Bisson 1990;Ballin 2004Ballin , 2008Orton 2008;de Lombera Hermida 2009;Diez Martín et al 2009;Driscoll 2010;Tallavaara et al 2010;De La Peña y Wadley 2014;Pautassi y Sario 2014;Byrne et al 2016;Manninen 2016;Sánchez Yustos et al 2017;Pautassi 2018). Algunos de estos trabajos se han centrado en responder preguntas concretas acerca de la preparación de ciertos tipos de instrumentos o técnicas específicas como la miniaturización o la interpretación funcional y tecnológica alrededor de las pieces equilles (Diez Martín et al 2009; De la Peña y Wadley 2014; Pargeter y De la Peña 2017) u otras discusiones en torno al comportamiento del cuarzo en contextos paleolíticos de poblaciones cazadoras-recolectoras y de alta movilidad.…”