gems, obsidian, prehistory, neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Roman, Greek, Egyptian

In previous issues of this journal, we have extensively discussed obsidian, its use in prehistory for making tools, and the various issues related to the “Obsidian Route.” We have seen, therefore, how the study of the exploitation of obsidian sources and how this changed over time provides very valuable information about the evolution of the socio-cultural system of different prehistoric populations during the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age. In prehistoric times, it was used as a raw material for making weapons, tools, and other artifacts. Obsidian reached its peak during the Neolithic; later, with the advent of metals, it was revalued and transformed from a simple tool into a high-prestige material used for crafting splendid jewelry, ornaments, and decorative objects for the Roman, Greek, Egyptian bourgeoisies, etc.