Report Summary

The project Quartz Technology in Scottish Prehistory was initiated in the year 2000, and over the following five years a large number of quartz assemblages were examined from all parts of Scotland, and from all prehistoric periods. The general aim of the project was to shed light on quartz variability, that is, to define how quartz assemblages in different periods and areas of the Scottish quartz province (the north, north-west and Highland regions of Scotland) differ. Subsequently it was attempted to explain the observed variability, focusing on factors such as chronology, territoriality, access to lithic resources, technology and activity patterns. In the larger framework, the present paper forms part of international efforts to increase awareness of archaeological quartz as an important resource. It is hoped that the research put forward in this paper may prove useful to quartz researchers in other parts of the world.

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Report content

	Title Page
	Table of Contents
	List of Illustrations
	List of Tables
1	Summary
2	Introduction
	2.1 Project background, aims and working hypotheses
	2.2 Methodology
	2.2.1 Raw materials
	2.2.2 Typology
	2.2.3 Technology
	2.2.4 Distribution analysis
	2.2.5 Dating
	2.3 Project History
	2.3.1 Pilot Project
	2.3.2 Main Project
	2.4 Presentation of sub-projects
	2.4 Presentation of sub-projects
	2.4.1 Palaeolithic material
	2.4.2 Later Mesolithic material
	2.4.3 Early Neolithic material
	2.4.4 Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age material
	2.4.5 Early Bronze Age (Beaker) material
	2.4.6 Early Bronze Age (non-Beaker) material
	2.4.7 Later Bronze Age material
	2.4.8 ?Iron Age material
	2.4.9 Minor assemblages
	2.4.10 The Cnoc Dubh quartz quarry project
	2.4.11 The burnt quartz project
3	The Investigation of Quartz Technology – A Brief Research History
	3.1 The international scene
	3.2 Scottish quartz research
4	Quartz as a Mineral – Its Properties, Formation and Provenance
	4.1 General properties
	4.2 Formation of quartz sources, and general geological provenance
	4.3 Quartz varieties encountered in Scottish lithic assemblages (geological classification of quartz)
	4.3.1 Rock crystal
	4.3.2 Milky quartz
	4.3.3 Very fine-grained quartz or 'greasy' quartz
	4.3.4 Fine-grained quartz
	4.3.5 Coarse-grained quartz
	4.3.6 Quartzite
	4.4 Forms of 'altered' quartz
	4.4.1 Water-rolled quartz
	4.4.2 Wind-blown quartz
	4.4.3 Burnt and heat-treated quartz
5	The Archaeological Distribution
	5.1 Geographical distribution
	5.1.1 Shetland
	5.1.2 The Western Isles
	5.1.3 The Southern Hebrides and the western part of mainland Scotland
	5.1.4 The Highlands
	5.1.5 The various sedimentary regions
	5.2 Explaining the observed distribution patterns
	5.2.1 Shetland
	5.2.2 The Western Isles
	5.2.3 The Southern Hebrides and the western part of mainland Scotland
	5.2.4 The Highlands
	5.2.5 The various sedimentary regions
	5.2.6 Summary
6	Technological Approaches (Operational Schemas)
	6.1 Introduction
	6.2 Procurement of quartz
	6.2.1 Embedded procurement
	6.2.2 Direct procurement
	6.2.3 Indirect procurement
	6.3 Core preparation and rejuvenation
	6.4 Blank (primary) production
	6.4.1 Platform or bipolar technique?
	6.4.2 The role of bipolar technique in the operational schema
	6.5 Tool (secondary) production
	6.5.1 Tools ratios
	6.5.2 Assemblage composition
	6.5.3 Possible explanations
7	The Social Context of Quartz Use – Territories and On-Site Behaviour
	7.1 Introduction
	7.2 Inter-site (regional) distribution
	7.3 Intra-site distribution
	7.3.1 Bayanne
	7.3.2 Dalmore
	7.3.3 Cruester
	7.3.4 Scord of Brouster
	7.3.5 Rosinish
	7.3.6 Summary
	7.4 Burial and ritual sites
8	Recovery, Analysis and Storage of Quartz Assemblages – Recommendations
	8.1 Introduction
	8.2 Recovery policies
	8.3 Analysis
	8.4 Storage policies
9	Acknowledgements
10	References

Published by The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, in association with The Council for British Archaeology and Historic Scotland, in Adobe Acrobat format. Available free of charge (see Terms & Conditions of Use).

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