Огладените каменни оръдия за дърводобив и дървообработка от селищна могила Сава

Ground stone tools for woodcutting and woodworking from tell Sava

Abstract

The settlement mound Sava in Varna municipality was excavated twice in the 1950’s. Unfortunately, the information for the objects that were found is limited. The same applies to the ground stone tools from the site as well. Nevertheless, the small collection of ground stone tools for woodcutting and woodworking – stone axes, adzes and chisels could give additional information about their use in the Eneolithic period. The percentage of the three types of tools in Sava is similar to that in other settlement mounds in Northeast Bulgaria. More than half of all analyzed tools are adzes, followed by chisels, and axes. Different treatment of the surface of the tools is evident. Five tools show signs of repair, mostly resharpening of the cutting edge.

It appears that specific types of tools were made from specific types of rock. Most of the tools are made from volcanic tuffs and andesites. These types of rocks are not present in the near vicinity of the site. The closest point from which they could be obtained is around Burgas in Thrace. Therefore, high-quality stone material must have been part of the long-distance trade system during the Eneolithic period.

All tools show traces of use with exception of one that is made from degraded feldspar. The same material that the scepters from Varna I cemetery are made.