4. Discussion and Conclusions

The pilot scheme has demonstrated the potential of the comprehensive analysis of the origins, technology and use of the obsidian used for artefact manufacture at Domuztepe. Its wider application should allow us to explore some of the more penetrating archaeological questions and to interpret its significance/suggest reasons for its presence. In rare instances where the comprehensive characterisation analysis has gone hand in hand with typological analysis, others have also noted differences in the use of different types of obsidians and changes through time (Maeda 2003; Carter et al. 2006a; 2006b) or the use of a particular type of obsidian for certain tool forms (Nishiaki 1993; Maeda 2007). Relating reduction stages to type of obsidian also seems to be a useful way of determining acquisition strategies (Ammerman 1979; Tykot and Ammerman 1997; Eerkens et al. 2007).

Undoubtedly there are problems in dealing with very large assemblages, particularly when they need to be studied in field laboratories. The success of our pilot study is therefore all the more encouraging. It ought to be possible to improve the accuracy of this approach still further by introducing characteristics other than colour and by defining colour more precisely. However, it should be stressed that our assessment of the utility of this approach is only directly relevant to the mixture of obsidian exploited at Domuztepe. At another site, with a different mix of sources, the model would require to be modified and tested before its accuracy could be established. Clearly the use of colour groups must always be confirmed by geochemical analysis and cannot replace more conventional geochemical analysis if the primary aim is to produce a high level of accuracy. This, however, is not our immediate aim. The major advantage of using a macro-characteristic such as colour is that it is rapid and free. It enables something to be said about provenance and techno-typological characteristics for an entire assemblage, almost irrespective of scale. More detailed and costly methods can then be used to confirm the groupings, and these can also be targeted to address much more specific questions.

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