Greenstone

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This article is about a form of green metamorphic rock. For other meanings, see Greenstone (disambiguation).

A greenstone necklace carved in the shape of a cross.

Greenstone, also known as greenschist, is a non layered metamorphic rock derived from basalt, gabbro or similar rocks containing sodium-rich plagioclase feldspar, chlorite, epidote and quartz. Chlorite and epidote give the green colour [link].

Contents

1 Culture

1.1 Europe
1.2 Eastern North America

2 See also
3 External links
4 References

Culture

Europe

Greenstone rocks have been used to make axes across Europe. Several sites including Langdale axe industry have been identified.

Eastern North America

A form of chlorite schist was popular in prehistoric Native American communities for the production of axes and celts, as well as ornamental items. In the Middle Woodland period, greenstone was one of the many trade items that were part of the Hopewell culture exchange network, sometimes transported over thousands of kilometers.

During the time of the Mississippian culture, the polity of Moundville apparently had some control over the production and distribution of greenstone. The Moundville source has been shown to be from two localities in the Hillabee Formation of central and eastern Alabama.

External links

[Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu] — Web site of the Ngāi Tahu tribe in Southern New Zealand, with information about Pounamu relating to the Treaty of Waitangi

References

Gall, Daniel G. and Vincas P. Steponaitis, "Composition and Provenance of Greenstone Artifacts from Moundville," Southeastern Archaeology 20(2):99-117 [2001]).
Steponaitis, Vincas P. Prehistoric Archaeology in the Southeastern United States, 1970-1985. Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 15. (1986), pp. 363-404.