Browsing by Author "Goemaere, Eric"
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Open Access Middle Neolithic fluorites in Northern France and Belgium: characterization, sourcing and methodological limitations(Elsevier, 2023-03-28) Goemaere, Eric; Vanmontfort, Bart; Bonjean, Dominique; Bosquet, Dominique; Bostyn, Françoise; Cayol, Nicolas; Colas, Caroline; Collet, Hélène; Delbey, Thomas; Delye, Emmanuel; Golitko, Mark; Jadin, Ivan; Jungels, Cécile; Leroy-Langelin, Emmanuelle; Monchablon, Cécile; Praud, IvanOrnaments and fragments of fluorite have been found at sixteen Neolithic sites in Belgium and Northern France, mainly Middle Neolithic sites associated with the Michelsberg culture and the Spiere and Chassean groups. These sites are located in a large geographical area representing different types of sites and various geological backgrounds. One of the aims of this study is to identify where this mineral could have been quarried in the Neolithic and compare the possible source(s) with those used during the Palaeolithic. A survey of some Neolithic fluorite occurrences in Belgium and Northern France was conducted and the origins of this mineral investigated by means of geochemical Rare Earth Elements and Sr-isotopic analysis. We also explore the limitations of isotopic 87Sr/86Sr and REE ratios for analysis of fluorite. Results show that Neolithic fluorite originates from different local and regional sources, mainly the Dinantian limestones/dolostones of the Ardennes Allochthon, in contrast to the use of silicified Givetian limestones of the Calestian Band near Givet (France) during the Magdalenian. The Neolithic fluorite that is studied in this paper is found exclusively at settlement sites whereas elsewhere, fluorite comes exclusively from funerary contexts.Item Open Access Tracking the source of lead of medieval glazed pottery of the Meuse valley (Belgium) through lead isotope analyses(Elsevier, 2022-02-03) Goemaere, Eric; Challe, Sophie; de Longueville, Sylvie; Delbey, Thomas; Demaiffe, DanielLead isotope analyses (by MC-ICP-MS) have been performed on lead-glazed pottery artefacts from several production and consumption sites in the Meuse basin (Belgium) spanning a long-time period from the 9th to the 16th century CE. Comparison of the lead isotope data of the glazes from three Mosan workshops with those of galenas from Palaeozoic (Variscan) Pb-Zn deposits from both Belgium and Western Germany points to a common Pb source that we identify as the regional Pb deposits hosted in Dinantian limestones of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif, more specifically in the Namur and Verviers synclines in Belgium and in the Aachen-Stolberg mining district in Germany. The overall similarity of isotopic compositions between the medieval artefacts and the Variscan galenas implies that the Mosan medieval potters used accessible local Pb-Zn ores mined between Namur and Huy. On the consumption sites of Dinant, the slightly different isotopic compositions of some potteries suggest that other regional Pb sources were used to produce the glazes. A comparison with Roman lead objects discovered in north-western Europe (Northern Gaul) shows the very good correspondence of the Pb isotopic compositions with those of the Medieval artefacts which indicates a very long continuity of regional lead supply and consequently of lead ore mining.