Iron (Fe) isotope compositions of prehistoric stone tools and geological sources were compared to evaluate the robustness of this isotopic fingerprinting technique. Artefacts and source materials were collected from the Hatch site in central Pennsylvania, United States, where both veined chert (Bald Eagle chert) and stone tools coexist within several metres. Yellow artefacts (δ⁵⁶Fe = 0.38 ± 0.1, n = 7) and source materials (δ⁵⁶Fe = 0.42 ± 0.1, n = 8) isotopically matched within error. The source values also overlap yellow chert samples from three other Bald Eagle chert locations in the area. These values are different from six other chert locations in the north‐eastern United States. These data suggest that the Fe isotope composition of chert artefacts reflect distinct geological sources. To enhance the mechanical characteristics of the stone tools, the chert experienced heat treatment, which induced a phase shift of the Fe oxide mineral goethite to hematite. This phase shift changes the colour of the chert to red. The red chert artefacts and source material also have overlapping Fe isotope values, but are 0.2‰ higher than the initial yellow chert. Experimental work where cherts were heated with different clays shows that Fe exchange with site soils induces the +0.2 fractionation. These data demonstrate that predictable Fe isotope fractionation occurs during heating, resulting in isotopically distinct artefacts.

中文翻译：

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评估Fe同位素值作为美国东北部硅质cher石的物源工具

比较了史前石器工具和地质来源的铁（Fe）同位素组成，以评估这种同位素指纹技术的鲁棒性。人工制品和原始材料是从美国宾夕法尼亚州中部的哈奇（Hatch）地点收集的，那里的脉状石（白头鹰Eagle石）和石器工具共存于几米之内。黄色假象（δ ⁵⁶的Fe = 0.38±0.1，Ñ  = 7）和源材料（δ ⁵⁶的Fe = 0.42±0.1，Ñ = 8）同位素匹配误差范围内。源值还与该地区其他三个秃头石地点的黄色yellow石样本重叠。这些值不同于美国东北部其他六个six石位置。这些数据表明硅质art石的铁同位素组成反映了独特的地质来源。为了增强石材工具的机械性能，对t石进行了热处理，使氧化铁矿物针铁矿向赤铁矿发生相移。该相移将the石的颜色变为红色。红石文物和源物质也具有重叠的Fe同位素值，但比初始黄t石高0.2‰。用不同的粘土加热石的实验工作表明，与现场土壤交换的铁引起+0.2的分馏。