Flint and other heated rocks

Rocks containing amorphous/microcrystalline SiO₂ can be dated by luminescence methods when they have been heated to approximately 400°C. Such temperatures, whether accidentally or deliberately, are easily achieved in hearths and therefore the dated event relates to the heating of the flint in a prehistoric fire.

• Quartz pebbles or sandstone with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL)

• Flint, chert, hornstone, sandstone, quartz pebbles with Thermoluminescence (TL)

• Establishing chronostratigraphies for the Palaeolithic period (e.g. Valladas et al., 2013)

• Applicable for almost the entire time span of human use of fire

• Overview with specific application details for heated flint can be found in Richter (2007)

• Orange-red TL detection allows the use of SAR protocols with increased performance of red-enhanced PMT in lexsyg devices

Richter D (2007) Advantages and limitations of thermoluminescence dating of heated flint from Paleolithic sites. Geoarchaeology 22, 671-683.

Valladas H, Mercier N, Hershkovitz I, Zaidner Y, Tsatskin A, Yeshurun R, Vialettes L, Joron J-L, Reyss J-L & Weinstein-Evron M (2013) Dating the Lower to Middle Paleolithic transition in the Levant: A view from Misliya Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel. Journal of Human Evolution 65, 585-593.