Divers recover chunk of Stone Age ‘Black Gold’ from Neolithic shipwreck in Italy

To the ancients, it was pure magic. It was dark. It was translucent*. It was impossibly sharp. Now what may be one of the oldest shipwrecks ever discovered hints that obsidian* was the ‘black gold*’ of the stone age.

Divers near the Italian island of Capri have recovered an 8kg chunk of the purple-tinged volcanic glass in what appears to be the remains of a Neolithic* shipwreck.

Italian archaeologists say it is an obsidian “core*” – a block of solidified lava being moved to “customers” who would later chip off flakes of varying shapes and sizes to suit their own needs.

These natural glass flakes* have incredibly sharp edges and were highly prized for hunting spears, arrows and knives. It was also valuable for stone-age industries, including drilling, skinning, exfoliating and shaping raw hides.

The Neolithic (Stone Age*) period ended about 4000 years ago. However, Ancient Egypt considered obsidian blades sacred and continued their ceremonial* use.

There is evidence suggesting the existence of stone-age international trade networks*. Semi-precious stones*, shells and clayware have been found scattered across Europe and the Middle East, often hundreds of kilometres from their geological points of origin*.

Obsidian tools dating back 20,000 years have been found in Poland. But it has no natural source of the volcanic glass*. Instead, it appears to have been imported from as far as Turkey.

Also, obsidian glass dating from 4000BC found on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia had to have been carried 3500km across the Pacific from the island of New Britain east of Papua New Guinea.

Italy says the Capri find is the first time trade-grade raw obsidian has been found in what may be a European neolithic shipwreck.

“Finding a Neolithic wreck would be mind-blowing,” Wreckwatch magazine* editor Sean Kingsley told Newsweek.

“If any extensive cargo* and crew’s belongings survive, the discovery would become one of the top five underwater strikes* of all time. For now, the jury is out, however.”

Italy’s Ministry of Culture says the obsidian block was brought to the surface by police divers on November 20. It had been found on a clear patch of sea bed some 40m beneath the surface, near Capri Island’s popular Blue Grotto* sea cave tourist site.

The exact location of the discovery is being kept secret. Swimming is already prohibited* in the area because of dangerous waves and tides.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• Translucent: material or substance that allows some light to pass through, but not enough to clearly see objects on the other side
• Black gold: Usually a term to refer to the high value and importance of oil, in this case it’s used to describe how precious obsidian was during this time
• Obsidian: a type of natural volcanic glass that is dark, translucent, and sharp. It was highly valued in ancient times for making tools and weapons
• Neolithic: refers to the later part of the Stone Age that ended about 4000 years ago
• Core: a block of solidified lava, in this case, obsidian, that was transported for the purpose of making tools. It served as a raw material for crafting various objects
• Flakes: pieces or fragments chipped off from the obsidian core. These flakes had sharp edges and were used for making tools such as hunting spears, arrows, and knives
• Volcanic Glass: a type of glass formed from volcanic lava. Obsidian is an example of volcanic glass
• Stone Age: a prehistoric period characterised by the use of stone tools and weapons. The Neolithic Period mentioned in the story is part of the Stone Age
• Ceremonial: In this context, obsidian blades were considered sacred and used in ceremonies by Ancient Egyptians even after the Stone Age
• International trade networks: systems of exchanging goods and materials between different regions or countries
• Semi-precious stones: valuable stones that are not as rare or expensive as precious stones like diamonds. They were part of the trade networks in ancient times
• Geological points of origin: the original locations where materials, such as stones or minerals, are naturally found in the Earth’s crust
• Cargo: goods and materials carried by a ship
• Underwater strikes: remarkable discoveries made underwater, in this case, referring to the potential significance of finding a Neolithic shipwreck with obsidian cargo
• Wreckwatch magazine: a publication that reports on the exploration and documentation of underwater wrecks
• Blue Grotto sea cave: a popular tourist site on Capri Island known for its sea cave with vibrant blue water. The obsidian block was found near this location
• Swimming prohibited: restriction on swimming in a particular area, often due to safety concerns such as dangerous waves and tides

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QUICK QUIZ

1. What is obsidian, and why was it highly valued in ancient times?
2. Describe the purpose of the obsidian “core” mentioned in the story. How was it used by ancient people?
3. What evidence suggests the existence of stone-age international trade networks?
4. Explain the potential historical significance of the discovery near Capri, especially if an extensive cargo and crew’s belongings are found in the Neolithic shipwreck.
5. Why does the story mention the prohibition of swimming in the area near Capri where the obsidian block was discovered?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. What Have You Learned?
What have you learned about neolithic people from the story? Write a list. Next to each item in your list, write the information or evidence, in the story that helped you to learn this.

Time: allow at least 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History

2. Extension
What do you think could be found at the site of the possible shipwreck? Use information in the story and your own ideas to write a list. Remember that the items would have to have survived in the sea for at least 4,000 years.

Time: allow at least 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History, Science

VCOP ACTIVITY
Wow word recycle
There are plenty of wow words (ambitious pieces of vocabulary) being used in the article. Some are in the glossary, but there might be extra ones from the article that you think are exceptional as well.

• Identify all the words in the article that you think are not common words, and particularly good choices for the writer to have chosen.
• Select three words you have highlighted to recycle into your own sentences.
• If any of the words you identified are not in the glossary, write up your own glossary for them.

Extension
Find a bland sentence from the article to up-level. Can you add more detail and description? Can you replace any base words with more specific synonyms?

Down-level for a younger audience. Find a sentence in the article that is high level. Now re-write it for a younger audience so they can understand the words without using the glossary.