Linking derived debitage to the Stonehenge Altar Stone using portable X-ray fluorescence analysis

The Altar Stone at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, UK, is enigmatic in that it differs markedly from the other bluestones. It is a gray-green, micaceous sandstone and has been considered to be derived from the Old Red Sandstone sequences of South Wales. Previous studies, however, have been based on presume...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mineralogical magazine 2022-08, Vol.86 (4), p.688-700
Main Authors: Bevins, Richard E, Pearce, Nick J. G, Ixer, Rob A, Hillier, Stephen, Pirrie, Duncan, Turner, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Archaeology
Arkeologi
Art galleries & museums
Automation
Barium
clastic rocks
England
Europe
Geologi
Geology
Great Britain
Mineralogy
Neolithic
Pore water
portable methods
Provenance
Rainfall
Sandstone
Scanning electron microscopy
Scientific imaging
sed rocks, sediments
Sedimentary petrology
sedimentary rocks
Stone
Stonehenge
United Kingdom
Western Europe
Wiltshire England
X-ray analysis
X-ray fluorescence
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Summary:The Altar Stone at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, UK, is enigmatic in that it differs markedly from the other bluestones. It is a gray-green, micaceous sandstone and has been considered to be derived from the Old Red Sandstone sequences of South Wales. Previous studies, however, have been based on presumed derived fragments (debitage) that have been identified visually as coming from the Altar Stone. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyses were conducted on these fragments (ex situ) as well as on the Altar Stone (in situ). Light elements (Z
ISSN:0026-461X
1471-8022
DOI:10.1180/mgm.2022.22