FORMAL EARLY NEOLITHIC FLINT TOOLKITS ...

Fig. 9. Cryptocrystalline chalcedony and microcrystalline chalcedony –
siliceous concretion; deposit Goliam Porovets – Chakmaka (near
Isperih), sample N4, Low Cretaceous (Ludogorie flint – type Kriva Reka);
transmitted light, crossed polars
of the area – between the villages of Goliam Porovets,
Drianovets, Krivnia, Chukata (Razgrad), Lisi Vrah, Kriva Reka
and Rouzhitsa. The Ludogorie flint – Type Ravno is very often
found as artefacts, especially in North-East Bulgaria (Rouse,
Kamenovo, Ravno) and the Thracian valley (Ezero, Diadovo).
The second type (Ludogorie flint – Type Kriva Reka) has a
relatively low distribution as artefacts.
In the Popovski Hills Region (Goranov, 1965) and at the
Yantra River are described bedded siliceous rocks in vertical
alternation with Aptian limestones. These bedded siliceous
rocks altered laterally in Ludogorie flint to West direction and
this flint is a possible raw material for artefacts production
durring the Neolithic. Localities of such type are Golyamo
Gradiste, Byala, Krepcha, Tsenovo, Beltsov and other sites.
Moesian flint (К2 cp-m ). The silica concretions are hosted in the
Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) chalk, chalk-like limestones
and fine grained biomorphic limestones (Maastrichtian). In
such a way they formed a few stratigraphic levels, but the very
rich layer of flint is the Upper Campanian, where the
concretions are condensed in a layer with approximately 1
meter thickness. The colour of the concretions is brown, pale
brown and grey, massive and spotted structure (brown with
pale grey spots). Concentric-zonal structure is very rare. The
size varies from 5 to 100 cm, mainly 15-35 cm, rarely up to 100
cm. The shape is extremely irregular, with many branches
(ameba-like). Macroscopic distinctive features are very often
big relics from chalky limestones, sometime dissolved, with
dimensions up to 10 cm. The crust is thin (1-2 mm), white,
chalk contain, with silica-carbonate composition. The fracture
is rough to smooth. The natural polish and yellow patina are
typical for paleo and recent alluvial depositions. The mineral
composition is a micro and crypto chalcedony (up to 75%),
moganite (up to 25%), opal, quartz (2-3%) and framboidal
pyrite. The microscopic observation shows micro to crypto
groundmass and abundance of lightly fragmentated and
chaotic distributed microfauna (Fig. 10). These microscopic
features are diagnostic for Moesian flint. The Upper
Cretaceous flint-rich rocks formed (Fig. 1) three large areas of
outcrops in North Bulgaria (the Moesian Platform and
adjustment parts of the Balkan Alpine Orogen), from West to
Wast as follow: the first one between Montana and Lovech, the
second – between Pleven and Nikopol and the third – between
Shumen and Devnya.
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Fig. 10. Cryptocrystalline chalcedony and microfauna filled with microcrystalline
chalcedony – siliceous concretion; deposit Somovit (near
Nikopol), sample N11a, Upper Cretaceous (Moesian flint); transmitted
light, crossed polars
In this big territory Moesian flint has large distribution and
has formed big deposits. Throughout this big area the Moesian
flint has similar features. Only in the Pleven-Nikopol region the
Moesian flint is hosted in non deformed rocks. That is why the
flint from these outcrops has a better quality. This fact and the
convenient transport connection along the Danube River,
determined the big outcrops on the Danube cost near Nikopol
and Somovit, as the most probable source of flint raw materials
for vast territories in Serbia and Romania.
Sredna Gora atypical flint (K2 Cn-Cp ) is represented as
hydrothermal veins from chalcedony varieties in the Upper
Cretaceous volcanogenous rocks (of Coniacian, Santonian and
Campanian ages) in the Sredna Gora paleovolcanic zone. This
atypical flint (Fig. 1) forms a few deposits, but with a large
geographic distribution in the Thracian Plain. Because of the
strong tectonic treatment, its irregular shape and domain of
recrystallization, this material (only as local source) has a very
small participation in artefacts production.
The Rhodopes atypical flint (Pg3) is represented as
hydrothermal veins of chalcedony varieties (chalcedony, agate
and jasper) in the Oligocene volcanogenic rocks in the
Rhodopes Zone. The Rhodopes atypical flint has a large
geographic distribution in the Eastern and Central Rhodopes
and has formed a large deposition. A few of these deposits
(near Asenovgrad, Chirpan and Haskovo) are distributed in the
Thracian Plain. This fact determines their participation in flint
toolkits in Thrace. The atypical flint from the Rhodopes zone,
because of its irregular shape, many inclusions, domains of
recrystallization, tectonic treatment and other peculiarities has
significance only as a local source of flint durring the Neolithic
and Chalcolithic.
The microscopic examinations of artefacts, despite their
preliminary character give the following clear suggestions: the
flint toolkits in the Central West Bulgaria are with significant
participation (up to 90%) of Moesian flint (Chavdar and
Kazanluk sites); there are evidences for participation of
Moesian flint in the Rakitovo site in the Rhodope Region; the
Kovachevo site (Struma valley) in conditions of total lack of
local flint sources is characterized with participation of
Ludogorie flint – 2% (for formal toolkits) and up to 50% of the
Rhodopes atypical flint with probable source from the Batak-
Dospat region.