A 9,500-year-old bracelet has been analyzed using the very latest computers – and the results show that it is so intricate even today’s craftsmen would struggle to improve it.
Researchers from the Institut Français d'Etudes Anatoliennes in Istanbul and Laboratoire de Tribologie et de Dynamiques des Systèmes studied the bracelet’s surface and it's micro-topographic features revealing the astounding technical expertise of the maker.
The bracelet is obsidian – which means it’s made from volcanic glass – and the researchers’ analysis of it sheds new light on Neolithic societies, which remain highly mysterious.
This process revealed that the bracelet – 10cm in diameter - was made and polished using highly specialized manufacturing techniques.In fact, the surface was polished to a degree equal to that of today’s telescope lenses.
The bracelet is the oldest known example of an obsidian item, common during the Neolithic period. The obsidian craft reached it's peak in the seventh and sixth millennia BC with the production of all kinds of ornamental objects, including mirrors and vessels.
No comments:
Post a Comment