Testing a new methodological approach to define the use of dolerite outcrops for prehistoric tool production in Mediterranean Iberia

A methodology based on the determination of mineral analysis has been developed to identify the origin of dolerite stone outcrops that were collected to fabricate lithic objects during Late Prehistory. Rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was also employed for the analysis of major elements. Samples from different natural outcrops and archaeological sites located in the Mediterranean area of Spain were studied to test the proposed methodological approach. The employed REE/PAAS ratios allow us to establish geochemical differences between dolerites collected from different areas in this geographical framework.