Variously, researchers have closely examined obsidian artifacts to understand ancient social and economic structures, as in Raymond V. Sidrys's 1976 study, or to glean aspects of cultural identity, as in Dennis Ogburn and colleagues' 2009 study. Studies of the Malia archaeological site on the Mediterranean island of Crete have shown that significant changes to building styles—changes consistent with an influx of people from another culture elsewhere in the Mediterranean—occurred from the Middle Bronze Age to the Late Bronze Age. In a 2022 study, however, Tristan Carter and Vassilis Kilikoglou found that obsidian-object production methods at Malia stayed remarkably consistent during this architectural transition, which they interpret as indicative of local cultural continuity in the Middle and Late Bronze Ages.
Which finding, if true, would most directly weaken Carter and Kilikoglou's argument?
Explanation
Context: Carter and Kilikoglou found that obsidian-object production methods at Malia (Crete) stayed remarkably consistent from the Middle to Late Bronze Age, despite architectural changes consistent with cultural influx. They argue this consistency in obsidian production shows local cultural continuity persisted even amid the influx.
Answer: B) The methods used to produce obsidian objects at Malia during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages were also used by some other Mediterranean cultures in the period.
Why? Carter and Kilikoglou argue consistency in obsidian methods at Malia indicates LOCAL cultural continuity. If the SAME methods were used by OTHER Mediterranean cultures during the same period, then consistent methods at Malia might simply reflect widespread regional practices rather than specifically local continuity — undermining the argument that consistency proves local culture persisted through the influx.
Traps:
- A) "The obsidian used to produce objects at Malia was transported to Crete from a distant source" → about raw material sourcing; doesn't challenge whether the production methods themselves show local cultural continuity
- C) "The obsidian-object production method that was most common among other Mediterranean cultures in the period was different from the method used at Malia" → if Malia's methods were DISTINCT from other cultures, this would actually SUPPORT the idea that the consistent methods represent Malia's local tradition
- D) "Changes to buildings like those that occurred at Malia have not been linked to population influxes at other Mediterranean sites" → about architectural change elsewhere; doesn't directly challenge whether Malia's obsidian method consistency reflects local cultural continuity