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The direct dating investigation of rock art remains a deficit issue yet the surface luminescence dating of rock surfaces initiated in the 90‘s has made some considerable progress. The luminescence dating of lithic surfaces inheres a dual mechanism regarding bleaching / growth of luminescent signal by depth and exposure time. The present overview reconfirms the suggestion that rock surfaces contain a record of exposure and burial history and that these events can be quantified. The physical mechanisms in trapping / de-trapping of electron traps, under different conditions of sun exposure and burial, the mathematical modeling of experimental and simulated data (modified double exponential and cumulative log-norm) and some World examples are briefly reviewed.

This study investigates the origin of the lithic findings from the prehistoric site at Toumba, Thessaloniki in Greece, during the Early Bronze Age (EBA). The artefacts from the excavation were studied in order to compare the raw materials utilized for the manufacture of these tools with the geological occurrences of the corresponding materials in the broader region. This research provides evidence for the provenance of these materials and consequently some insight into the socioeconomic system of the settlement. For this reason, samples of siliceous sediments were chosen from regions with similar geological formations, such as Vasilika and Galatista. Apart from macroscopic examination, both archaeological and petrographic, microscopic examination was also applied in order to identify the microstructure and the mineralogical context, and finally geochemical study by ICP-MS analysis and XRF spectrometry for determining the major, trace and rare earth element concentrations. The comparison of these features with the archaeological features reveals that during the Early Bronze Age there was possibly a relation between Toumba inhabitants and the regions of Vasilika and Galatista for the procurement of chert. The petrographic examination of the lithic findings shows whether the tools are manufactured in the settlement or if there is an import of tools from other sites.

Investigations at Livari (south-eastern Crete) produced a small Mesolithic chipped stone assemblage, whose techno-typological characteristics situate it within an ‘early Holocene Aegean island lithic tradition’ (9000–7000 cal BC). The material provides antecedent characteristics for the lithics of Crete’s founder Neolithic population at Knossos (c. 7000–6500/6400 cal BC). The idiosyncrasies of the Knossian material can be viewed as a hybrid lithic tradition that emerged from interaction between migrant Anatolian farmers and indigenous hunter-gatherers. Small quantities of Melian obsidian at Livari attest to early Holocene maritime insular networks, knowledge of which likely enabled the first farmers’ successful voyage to Crete.