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Science 23 July 1971:
Vol. 173. no. 3994, pp. 322 - 325
DOI: 10.1126/science.173.3994.322
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Articles

Thermal Alteration of Silica Minerals: An Archeological Approach

Barbara A. Purdy 1 and H. K. Brooks 2

1 Florida State Museum, Gainesville 32601
2 Department of Geology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32601

Extensive experiments indicate that the application of heat to flint materials may have conferred an advantage to primitive man in the manufacture of chipped-stone implements. When Florida cherts are slowly heated to between 350° and 400°C and maintained at this temperature for sustained periods, a desirable change occurs in the fracture properties. This alteration takes place when the melting point of the impurities within the intercrystalline spaces is reached; thus the microcrystals of quartz are fitted closer together when materials other than quartz serve as fluxes.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Thermoluminescent Determination of Prehistoric Heat Treatment of Chert Artifacts.
C. L. MELCHER and D. W. ZIMMERMAN (1977)
Science 197, 1359-1362
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)