Characterization and geological context of the silex used as raw material for archaeological artifacts in the Taió region - Santa Catarina, southern Brazil

The town of Taió is home to archaeological sites, including the INDUMA SC-TA-19 site studied by the

Anchieta Research Institute, which cataloged various lithic artifacts made from silex (flint). According

to the different authors, silex is a rocky material with controversial formation processes in the

literature. In this context, this work aimed to characterize these silex artifacts, define their source area

and geological origin, based on field studies, optical petrography, scanning electron microscopy, and

semi-quantitative chemical analysis. The methodology employed allowed characterizing its source

area, defining that silex consists of bioclasts, wrapped in silica polymorphs, combined with fibrous

chalcedony, in different proportions and establishing its formation in a marine environment.

Journal of the Geological Survey of Brazil