GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 49, 4, BRATISLAVA, AUGUST 1998
301304
NEOLITHIC JADEITITE AXE FROM SOBOTITE
(WESTERN SLOVAKIA)
DUAN HOVORKA
1
, ZDENO FARKA
2
and JÁN SPIIAK
3
1
Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Science, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
2
Archaeological Museum, ikova l2, 811 02 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
3
Geological Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences Bratislava; Branch: Severná 5, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic
(Manuscript received March 13, 1998; accepted in revised form June 16, 1998)
Abstract: In the area limited by the villages of KunovSobotitePodbranè (western Slovakia) Neolithic population
is documented by archaeological artefacts. Among them Early Linear Pottery of the Baden culture, together with
numerous polished stone artefacts document the time period from the Early Neolithic to the Middle Aeneolithic
(Jamárik 1961; Pichlerová 1961; Pavúk 1963). Among the polished stone artefacts, one made from jadeitite is unique
by its raw material. Electron microprobe study of the raw material of the axe as well as the results of detailed studies
from the northern Italy and the Western Alps area showed that the rock under consideration underwent a complicated
geological history. Occurrences of this type of raw material have not been recorded in the Eastern Alps, the Bohe-
mian Massif or in the Western Carpathians. Thus it is supposed that the ready-made product was imported from a
distant area, such as NW Italy.
Key words: western Slovakia, Neolithic, import, jadeitite axe.
Introduction
In recent years there has been a strong effort to gather informa-
tion on polished stone artefacts of the NeolithicEneolithic
Early Bronze Age found on the territory of Slovakia.
Until the last decade the great majority of several thou-
sands of Neolithic polished stone artefacts found on several
dozen archaeological sites were studied and documented by
the staff of several archaeological institutions (Archaeologi-
cal Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovak Na-
tional Museum, several local museums, and Department of
Archaeology of the Philosophical Faculty). Mineralogical
and petrographical identification methods were used only
exceptionally.
As a result of collaboration between archaeologists and pe-
trographers on the territory of the country previously un-
known types of raw material, have been found; e.g. antigorite
serpentinite (Hovorka & Illáová 1995), eclogite (Hovorka &
Illáová 1996). Al-rich spinelhornblendeanthophyllite
schist (Hovorka et al. 1997), mudstone (Banská et al. in print)
and others.
Taking into account problems arising from different use
of the term jade (used both in gemmology and in different
meanings in archaeology, as well) in accordance with a pro-
posal by DAmico et al. (1995) based on the mineral com-
position of the artefact studied, the petrographical term ja-
deitite seems to be the most adequate.
The slightly demaged stone axe of green colour was found
by an amateur-collector in the fields between villages Kunov
Sobotite and Podbranè (western Slovakia; Fig. 1). This axe is
of unclear trapezoid shape with oblong through slightly bicon-
vex body and concave partially rounded edge (Fig. 2). Thus, in
shape the axe studied resembles Italian axes described in detail
in papers by DAmico et al. (1991, 1995, 1997). It is made of
polished green rock, on which no traces of weathering are visible.
On the axe-butt a scarp after splitting of a small part of the axe is
visible. Dimensions: length 8 cm, breadth = 2.44.7 cm, edge
= 1.5 cm (Fig. 2). Deposition of the axe: private collection.
From the vicinity of the village of Sobotite (Fig. 1), in sur-
face survey, numerous artefacts proving settlements from the
Early Linear Pottery to the Baden culture were found. They
document the Early Neolithic to Middle Aeneolithic ages
(Jamárik 1961; Pichlerová 1961; Pavúk 1963). The axe is
close in morphology to the artefacts of the Lengyel culture
(Sala 1986), which is represented in this area by a stage
from LgCI (Lengyel culture) till the period of the Ludanice
Group, which corresponds to 1000 to 1500 years of devel-
opment. According to
14
C data calibration (95.4 per cent
probability) the Lengyel culture deveveloped in the time span
50003500 years BC. If we take into account
14
C calibration
Fig. 1. A scheme of the Sobotite area (hatched field represents
the area with surface Neolithic/Aeneolithic artefact occurrences).
302 HOVORKA, FARKA and SPIIAK
on 68.2 per cent probability, the corresponding age is 4900
3950 years BC (Stadler 1995). The assignment of the stud-
ied axe to the time span of the Lengyel culture is supported
by data from nearby Moravia (eastern part of the Czech Re-
public). On the territory of Moravia, jadeitite tools are found
more often, even though jadeitite is also a rare raw material
here (Palliardi 1913; Èervinka 1943; Skutil 1946; Schmidt
& telcl 1971). A majority of the Moravian tools made from
nephrite and jadeitite belong to the Moravian Painted Pot-
tery People stage, which is a part of the Lengyel culture
(Palliardi 1913; Skutil 1946; Podborský 1993), though in
some cases a younger dating is not excluded (Èervinka
1943; Skutil 1946; Schmidt & telcl 1971).
The closest Moravian jadeitite tool (l.c.) to the described
axe from western Slovakia is that from the site of Jaroov
near Uherské Hraditì (Schmidt & telcl 1971; Fig. 1c).
Both mentioned axes belong to varieties with a symmetrical
cross section of oblong trough biconvex shape and symmetri-
cal edge. According to present knowledge, these are connect-
ed with developed stages of the LgC (Sala 1986), while in
the older stages varieties with oblong sides prevail.
Raw material (jadeitite) description
Rather slight foliation of the studied raw material is caused
by the presence (visible in thin section only) of irregular non
consistent bands of lighter colour. On the section perpendicu-
lar to the prolongation of the artefact, light spots of isomet-
ric shape with unsharp delimitation against the surrounding
rock are characteristic. Such spots may be as big as 1.5 mm,
but are mostly about 1 mm. In both longer sides of the axe
negative holes with 1.5 mm in diameter are visible. A very
fine skin of turquoise-green colour has developed in some
of these holes.
In thin sections made from the material of the studied axe
two characteristic domains are observable:
1. a granoblastic fine-grained (0.1 mm) aggregate of cli-
nopyroxene representing practically a monomineralic ag-
gregate. Massive fabrics, in places interrupted by the plan-
parallel orientation of shortcolumnar clinopyroxene crystals
are characteristic of this part of the thin section. In central
parts of individual clinopyroxenes opaques are present. Be-
cause of their small dimensions, it is more-or-less impossi-
ble to identify them in thin sections. By the use of micro-
probe they were identified as rutile. Clinopyroxene aggregate
represents approximately 95 per cent of the rock. The re-
maining 5 per cent of the given rock is formed by:
2. a fine-grained aggregate (0.1 mm dimensions of indi-
vidual phases) of zoisite, light mica and probably also pla-
gioclase (Fig. 3). After weathering such aggregates form the
above mentioned holes on the surface. Also based on
above aspects jadeitite axe studied has equivalents among
Italian axes (l. c.).
The thin section and microprobe studies of the jadeitite
axe raw material led to the following conclusions: The
rocks under consideration belong to the group of monomin-
eralic rocks which are composed of jadeite present in a xe-
noblastic aggregate of fine grained (0.1 mm) colourless crys-
Fig. 2. A sketch of the jadeitite axe.
Fig. 3. Photo micrograph of thin section (enlarg. 32
×
, X polars).
tals of equidimensional shape. The microprobe analyses (Ta-
ble 1) showed that the jadeites are non-zonal, homogeneous
with stable high contents of Na
2
O within the range 13.91
14.91 weight per cent. They correspond to pure (stechiomet-
ric) jadeite (Fig. 5). Some of the jadeite crystals contain very
tiny (0.0X mm) crystals of rutile. Omphacite (3 and 4 in
Fig. 5, anal. 3 and 4 in Table l) is present in the form of rims
around jadeite. In thin sections both types of clinopyroxenes
are indistinguishable. But there is an evident difference in
NEOLITHIC JADEITITE AXE FROM SOBOTITE (WESTERN SLOVAKIA) 303
their chemical composition. In contrast to the jadeite in om-
phacites the lower contents of Al
2
O
3
and Na
2
O are remark-
able. On the other side gradual increased (in comparison to
jadeite) contents of FeO and CaO, and MgO have been re-
corded (Table 1). The presented analytical data indicate the
heterogeneity of composition of the omphacites, in contrast
to that of the jadeite (Fig. 5, field l).
Jadeite and omphacite together represent approximately
95 per cent of the studied rock.
In thin sections, light irregular cumuloblasts can be seen
with the naked eyes on the polished surface of the axe: they
are formed by at least two phases of the epidote-group miner-
als. The most spread is zoisite and epidote (microprobe iden-
tification). Both phases represent the products of Ca-rich pla-
gioclases or lawsonites (?) recrystallization. The origin of
epidote needed iron, which originated by its liberation during
the original pyroxene (diopside ?) recrystallization. The stud-
ied rock also sporadically contains tiny crystals of zircon and
xenotime.
Discussion and conclusion
Since only one artefact with no direct relation to the geo-
logical position of its raw material does not supply facts for
genetical interpretation of the petrological history of the
given raw material type, in this stage of studies we limit our
consideration to the following remarks.
Jadeite and rutile crystals are typical representatives of
the eclogite pT conditions. The metamorphic/metasomatic
origin of the given rock is supported by its mosaic-grano-
blastic fabric and non-preferred orientation of mineral ag-
gregate. The presence of omphacite rims around stechio-
metric jadeite proves changes of pT conditions during the
rock´s evolution.
In these ways the jadeitite studied is comparable to those de-
scribed by DAmico et al. (1991, 1995, 1997) from the north-
ern Italian (Trentino, Sammardenchia) and Provence sites.
On the basis of its mineral composition the rock (raw ma-
terial) of the studied axe should be named clinopyroxenite
in a broader sense, or jadeitite according to its proper
mineral composition. It should be pointed out that so far
such a rock-type has been found only once within a set of
more than 250 thin sections studied by one of the authors
(D. H.) from various archaeological sites in Slovakia. No
similar rock has been described by any author in the past.
The jadeitite axe, together with the majority of the other
stone artefacts were found on sites without the raw material
debris which originates when stone blocks were processed.
So in this case we also suppose the import of a ready-made
artefact to the place of its finding. A similar conclusion was
reached by Schmidt & telcl (1971) in the past when they
discussed the place of origin of 8 jadeitite axes which have
been found at Moravian localities.
Geologically documented jadeitite occurrences on the Eu-
ropean continent are very rare (DAmico et al. l995). They
are usually spatially connected with serpentinized ultraba-
site (peridotite) massifs, which are considered to be members
of ophiolite complexes. Jadeitites mostly occur together with
eclogites and low temperature amphibolites, which represent
their retrogressed equivalents. Such occurrences, which
Fig. 4. Computer image of the given rock.
Fig. 5. Classification diagram of clinopyroxenes (Morimoto et al. l889).
304 HOVORKA, FARKA and SPIIAK
should be considered, also include those of the Western Alps
and other places reported by DAmico et al. (1995).
The provenance of the Western Alps seems to be the most
important for the substantial part of the European jadeitite
artefact occurrences. This view is based on the estimation
that 8090 per cent of all documented axes around the West-
ern Alps are made from jadeitite and eclogite (DAmico et al.
1995). Occurrences of jadeitite artefacts are also extensive in
northern Italy (l. c.).
The raw material studied represents a rock which originat-
ed under complicated geological conditions. The high content
of natrium in the main phase (jadeite), is most probably the
consequence of metasomatic processes which took part dur-
ing the high-pressure recrystallization of the original rock.
Only after such a complicated geological history did Neolith-
ic people gather blocks of rocks with suitable technical prop-
erties for the production of tools for daily use, ceremonial
symbols or even symbols of excelence.
Acknowledgements: Authors would like express their thank-
fulness to Mr. J. Jamárik and Miss H. Mikulièková for supply
of the jadeitite axe for laboratory studies. The studies were
performed in the scope of project financially supported by the
VEGA Agency (Project No. 95/5195/198). We are grateful to
M. Suk and A. Pøichystal for review of the earlier draft of the
manuscript. Special thanks are adressed to C. DAmico for
numerous helpful comments.
References
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Table 1: The composition of clinopyroxenes.
Selected analyses of clinopyroxene
Phases
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
4
SiO
2
60.36
60.86
60.75
60.25
60.17
60.02
60.88
60.88
60.88
60.88
60.45
59.77
60.21
60.21
58.98
58.96
57.56
TiO
2
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Al
2
O
3
23.63
23.19
22.40
23.29
22.76
23.45
22.98
22.98
22.98
22.98
23.23
23.32
22.71
22.71
19.44
14.81
10.00
Cr
2
O
3
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
FeO
+
0.96
1.13
1.56
1.34
1.28
0.86
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.24
0.97
1.05
1.05
4.24
5.71
6.67
MnO
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.04
0.16
MgO
0.30
0.40
0.79
0.54
0.71
0.18
0.49
0.49
0.49
0.49
0.49
0.38
0.24
0.24
1.10
3.14
6.37
CaO
0.61
0.67
1.19
0.92
1.11
0.37
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.84
0.61
0.53
0.53
1.53
4.32
7.94
Na
2
O
14.65
14.29
13.97
14.07
13.91
14.91
14.02
14.02
14.02
14.02
14.05
14.43
14.87
14.87
14.35
12.61
9.86
TOTAL
100.49 100.55 100.66 100.44
99.94
99.79 100.55 100.55 100.55 100.55 100.31
99.48
99.61
99.61
99.64
99.59
98.55
Formula based on 6 oxygens
Si
IV
2.03
2.04
2.04
2.03
2.04
2.03
2.04
2.04
2.04
2.04
2.03
2.03
2.04
2.04
2.04
2.08
2.08
Al
IV
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Al
VI
0.94
0.92
0.89
0.92
0.91
0.94
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.92
0.93
0.91
0.91
0.79
0.61
0.43
Fe
2+
0.03
0.03
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.02
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.12
0.17
0.20
Mn
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Mg
0.01
0.02
0.04
0.03
0.04
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.01
0.06
0.16
0.34
Ca
0.02
0.02
0.04
0.03
0.04
0.01
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.06
0.16
0.31
Na
0.95
0.93
0.91
0.92
0.91
0.98
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.92
0.95
0.98
0.98
0.96
0.86
0.69
FeO
+
= total Fe as FeO