*5.2. Obsidian Artifacts from Sites around the Adriatic and in Croatia*

Prior to its political breakup, no obsidian artifacts found in Yugoslavia had been analyzed. Since then, however, a significant amount of archaeological research was conducted in Croatia, with obsidian found at many prehistoric sites along the Dalmatian coast, on islands in the Adriatic Sea, and as far north as Istria. At first, the results of analyses by pXRF, which showed that most were from Lipari, with very little reaching there over land from the Carpathian sources, were not expected [53,59]. In addition, the presence of some from Palmarola, on the island of Sušac and on the mainland at Lok. Musa, was surprising considering our previous thoughts of it having limited distribution [47] (Figure 12). Obsidian from Palmarola, however, was identified at three Neolithic sites along the Italian coast as well as at sites in the Tavoliere and near the Gargano Peninsula from where travel by island hopping over the Adriatic likely occurred [47,53,60]. Entirely unexpected was the identification of four obsidian artifacts on the island of Palagruža coming from Melos

(Sta Nychia subsource) since no others have been securely identified in prehistoric contexts west of Albania [59,61]. The Palagruža site, however, dates to the Copper Age, when increasing social and economic complexity began in the Aegean.

**Figure 12.** Map with directions to archaeological sites with Palmarola obsidian artifact attributions, including across the Adriatic.
