Recording invisible proofs to compose stone narratives. Applications of Near Infrared Spectroscopy in provenance studies.

The history of human-environment interaction is embedded in stone. Stones are essential components of daily life and their various usage characterize certain areas or chronological periods. The form of a stone object is the result of a long chain of interactions with distinct bodies but the intangible life story of any artefact is partially registered in its original material properties and gradual physical alteration. Digital systems can be adopted for collecting these invisible records and tracing a stone’s history. Chemical imaging and portable spectroscopy are quick and non-destructive remote sensing techniques that can be used to gather empirical data and track production and use of stone artefacts over time. This article reviews the application of Near Infrared Spectroscopy as a method for geochemical characterization of objects and as a tool for provenance studies within the Mobima project, carried out by an interdisciplinary team of archaeologists and chemists at University of Umeå, Sweden. Near Infrared Spectroscopy can be used for acquiring and processing spectral information directly in the field, modelling datasets of big assemblages and classifying objects. Making stones’ biographies visible will help understanding the entanglement of past societies and their geological landscapes.