Pechstein

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Masonry with pitch stone

Pechstein , as volcanic glass, is a rock of volcanic origin with a water content of up to 8 percent by mass. Pechstein is one of the rhyolites like obsidian and perlite . The name Pechstein was coined in 1759 by Christian Friedrich Schulze . The way of its formation is controversial, among other things the devitrification of obsidian is discussed.

properties

The color of pitch stone varies depending on its occurrence. It ranges from brown to red and green to deep black. The black, shiny like pitch , gave the rock its name. Pechstein has a shell-like break and usually small bits of quartz , feldspar , augite or hornblende . The rock can look spotty or shiny and show a porphyry structure due to the cracks .

Occurrence

Pechstein occurs in Germany in the Rotliegendschichten in the area around Zwickau , in Garsebacher Switzerland , municipality of Klipphausen near Meißen , and in the southern Black Forest . An important individual outcrop from the Upper Carboniferous is the “ Spechtshausen Kugelpechstein ” in the Tharandt forest . Other significant pitchstone deposits can be found on the Scottish islands of Arran , Mull , Skye and Eigg (An Sgurr).

use

The Arran pitch stone has been processed into artifacts since the Mesolithic . In the Neolithic , Pechstein or artifacts from Pechstein were also exported to Ireland.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hans Murawski, Wilhelm Meyer: Geological dictionary . 11th edition. Elsevier / Spektrum, Heidelberg 2004, ISBN 3-8274-1445-8 , pp. 162 .
  2. ^ Arnulf Schultes: Obsidian. ( Memento of the original from January 27, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Petrefact. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.petreffektum.de
  3. G. Kloess: Introduction to petrography / Petrology. Chapter H: Vulcanites. Institute for Mineralogy, Crystallography and Materials Science, University of Leipzig (PDF; 1.9 MB).
  4. ^ Caroline R. Wickham-Jones: Rhum: Mesolithic and later sites at Kinloch excavations 1984-1986. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland monograph series 7, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh 1990. ISSN  0263-3191 .
  5. Jeremy Preston, Ian Meighan, Derek Simpson, Malcolm Hole: Mineral chemical provenance of Neolithic pitchstone artefacts from Ballygalley, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Geoarchaeology Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 219-236, 2002. Wiley Periodicals.
  6. ^ Neolithic village and fortified hill excavated in Ulster. ( Memento of the original from May 29, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. British Archeology 72, News, September 2003. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.archaeologyuk.org

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