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1
MacDonald, Douglas H., Elizabeth A. Horton, and Todd A. Surovell. "COUGAR CREEK: QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF OBSIDIAN USE IN THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM." American Antiquity 84, no. 1 (January 2019): 158–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aaq.2018.76.
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With more than 15 sources of obsidian and other lithic materials, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho is one of the richest toolstone regions in northwestern North America. This article introduces a quantitative assessment technique to compare attributes of seven Yellowstone obsidians used by Native Americans over at least 11,000 years. The proposed assessment technique is replicable and adaptable to other regions. This article also analyzes the procurement, use, and distribution of the poorly studied Cougar Creek obsidian. Archaeological research documented Cougar Creek obsidian outcrops, procurement areas, and secondary processing sites. Native Americans acquired the material at surface exposures, as well as occasional trench and pit excavations. There is a significant distance decay reduction in its use, especially when compared with Obsidian Cliff obsidian. Using a weighted z-score analysis, the material attributes of Cougar Creek were compared with those of six regional obsidians to determine the factors involved in their differential use. Based on these rankings, Cougar Creek obsidian experienced low demand and usage due to poor quality and availability. In contrast, due to their high quality, abundance, and aesthetics, Obsidian Cliff and Bear Gulch obsidians were preferred for stone tool production.
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Martin, Franco Foresta, Silvio G. Rotolo, Manuela Nazzari, and Maria Luisa Carapezza. "Chlorine as a Discriminant Element to Establish the Provenance of Central Mediterranean Obsidians." Open Archaeology 6, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 454–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2020-0124.
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Abstract Chlorine is a minor element present in obsidians in quantities greater than in average igneous rocks. The chlorine concentration in obsidians is generally low, of the order of tenths of wt %, but it exhibits an appreciable differentiation among geological sources. Despite these characteristics, chlorine has rarely been taken into consideration as a possible indicator of obsidian provenance and it does not appear in the chemical analytical tables accompanying the geochemical characterisation of obsidian samples. In this work, after an overview of chlorine geochemistry and cycle, we present thirty-one new electron microprobe (EPMA) analyses, including Cl, of geologic obsidians sampled from the four sources of the Central Mediterranean, exploited in prehistoric times (Monte Arci, Palmarola, Lipari and Pantelleria). The results are compared with 175 new EPMA analyses, including Cl, of archaeological obsidians already characterised in previous work and of known provenance. As such it was possible to ascertain that each source has a characteristic chlorine concentration, showing the utility of its use in the studies of obsidian provenance. Furthermore, given that the solubility of chlorine in silicate melts is correlated to its alkali content, in particular sodium, we assessed the efficacy of simple binary graphs Cl vs Na2O to better constrain the provenance of the obsidian samples.
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Fernández, María Victoria, Pablo Rodrigo Leal, Claudia Della Negra, Catherine Klesner, Brandi Lee MacDonald, Michael Glascock, and Ramiro Barberena. "Obsidiana Varvarco: una nueva fuente en el noroeste de Patagonia (Neuquén, Argentina)." Revista del Museo de Antropología 12, no. 1 (April 30, 2019): 35. http://dx.doi.org/10.31048/1852.4826.v12.n1.21865.
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<p>En el norte neuquino existen depósitos piroclásticos que contienen nódulos de obsidianas. Las investigaciones en la región dieron a conocer las principales fuentes utilizadas por las poblaciones que allí habitaron. Para profundizar el conocimiento de cada fuente de obsidiana se adoptó un programa de estudio geoarqueológico y geoquímico. Así, se han descubierto nuevas ocurrencias de obsidianas, la más destacable de las cuales es la obsidiana Varvarco que aquí se presenta. Se dan a conocer los muestreos realizados en el valle del río Varvarco, su contexto geológico y geomorfológico, la presencia de obsidiana, el tipo de yacimiento, forma de presentación, distribución y abundancia. Luego, se describen las principales características observadas bajo microscopio petrográfico. Por último, se presentan los resultados de análisis geoquímicos de fluorescencia de rayos X y activación neutrónica. A partir de los primeros la obsidiana Varvarco se diferencia de la de Cerro Huenul, pero no de la obsidiana Maule 1 y 2. Los segundos análisis discriminan bien esta nueva obsidiana de las ya conocidas para Neuquén. Los resultados obtenidos permiten reinterpretar la disponibilidad de recursos líticos de buena calidad para la talla y revisar las interpretaciones de movilidad e interacción de poblaciones en esta región.</p>
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Jwa, Yong-Joo, Seonbok Yi, Mi-Eun Jin, and Ga-Hyun Hwang. "Two Contrasting Provenances of Prehistoric Obsidian Artifacts in South Korea: Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics." Open Archaeology 5, no. 1 (April 20, 2019): 106–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2019-0008.
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AbstractTwo provenances – Mount Baekdusan near Sino-Korean border and Kyushu of southwest Japan – are well known for Korean prehistoric obsidian artifacts. We examined the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the Baekdusan obsidians and the Kyushu obsidians. Though obsidians are of glassy material, microlites are easily found in the host matrix. Fe-oxides are the most abundant microlite phase, with a lesser amount of clinopyroxene, feldspar, and biotite. It is notable that the texture and chemical composition of the microlites in the Baekdusan obsidians are quite different from those in the Kyushu obsidians. Clinopyroxene in the Baekdusan obsidians occurs as oikocryst enclosing smaller Fe-oxides, and has the composition of hedenbergite to augite. On the other hand, clinopyroxene in the Kyushu obsidians is compositionally of clinoferrosilite, and shows intergrowth and/or overgrowth textures with Fe-oxides. Feldspar microlites in the Baekdusan obsidians are generally of sanidine to anorthoclase, whereas those in the Kyushu obsidians of oligoclase. Biotite microlites are often found in the Kyushu obsidians, but absent in the Baekdusan obsidians. Also, there exist prominent geochemical contrasts between the Baekdusan obsidians and the Kyushu obsidians. At the similar SiO2 range of 74 to 78 wt.% the host glasses of the Baekdusan obsidians have higher contents of TiO2, total FeO, K2O, Nb, Hf, Zr, Ta, Y and rare earth elements (REEs) than those of the Kyushu obsidians. The overall mineralogical and geochemical contrasts for the Baekdusan and Kyushu obsidians seem to reflect different parental magma composition and crystallization environment. This distinction can be used to establish the provenance of the obsidian artifacts from the prehistoric sites in the Korean Peninsula as well as contiguous areas such as China, Japan, and Russia.
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Salgán, Laura, and María Paz Pompei. "Fuente de obsidiana El Peceño: primeros resultados de su abordaje tecnológico, geoquímico y espacial." Revista del Museo de Antropología 10 (July 26, 2017): 51. http://dx.doi.org/10.31048/1852.4826.v10.n0.13733.
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<p>La fuente primaria de obsidiana El Peceño se encuentra ubicada en la planicie oriental del sur de Mendoza y su uso ha sido vinculado a contextos arqueológicos del Holoceno Tardío. Su ubicación geográfica, accesibilidad y calidad para la talla le otorgan características ventajosas en relación con otras fuentes de obsidiana conocidas. Sin embargo, su dispersión geográfica es menor que la registrada en las fuentes de obsidiana de cordillera. Estudios geoquímicos previos hicieron posible discriminar dos sub-fuentes denominadas El Peceño-1 y El Peceño-2. Recientes muestreos de campo permitieron ubicar espacialmente los afloramientos de ambas sub-fuentes y los talleres de procesamiento y extracción. En este trabajo se presenta la caracterización espacial y geoquímica de las sub-fuentes taller, sus particularidades macroscópicas y las primeras tendencias de su abordaje tecnológico. Los resultados muestran diferencias en la distribución espacial de las sub-fuentes y en las actividades de producción representadas en las variedades de El Peceño. La obtención de lascas y la confección de preformas serían actividades representadas en El Peceño-1, mientras que el descortezamiento y formatización de núcleos son frecuentes en El Peceño-2. Por último, se proponen expectativas del modo de transporte de estas variedades de obsidiana y las perspectivas de trabajo futuro.</p><p><br /><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><br />The primary source of obsidian El Peceño is located in the eastern plains of southern Mendoza and its use has been linked to archaeological contexts of late Holocene. Its geographical location, accessibility, and quality, provide advantageous characteristics of procurement when compared to other known sources of obsidian. However, the geographic dispersion of this source is narrower compared with other Andean obsidian sources. Previous geochemical studies permitted discriminating between two sub-sources called El Peceño-1 and El Peceño-2. Recent field sampling allowed locating outcrops of both sub-sources and of processing and extraction locations. In this paper, spatial and geochemical characterization of the sub-sources, their macroscopic particularities, and first trends of their technological analysis are presented. The results show differences in distribution spatial of the sub-sources and production activities corresponding to different varieties of El Peceño obsidian. Flake and preform production were probably the activities conducted at El Peceño-1, while cortex removal and core formalizing, were the main activities conducted at El Peceño-2. Finally, expectations for the most frequent mode of transportation of these varieties of obsidian and the perspectives for future work are presented.</p>
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Church, Tim, and Carlos Caraveo. "The Magnetic Susceptibility of Southwestern Obsidian: An Exploratory Study." North American Archaeologist 17, no. 4 (April 1997): 271–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/qg75-mvkt-he33-5vaq.
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The magnetic properties of volcanic glass and obsidian have long been known. Selected magnetic properties have proven useful discriminators among eastern Mediterranean obsidian sources. A recent exploratory study of the magnetic susceptibility of Southwestern obsidians indicates that it may prove a useful tool in this region also. Magnetic measurements of samples from many of the major obsidian sources in the Southwest were analyzed in an exploratory study of the technique and the resulting data are presented here. The technique and its limitations are also discussed.
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Poupeau, G., and Rosa B. Scorzelli. "Mõssbauer spectroscopy and dating by fission traces in provenience studies of archaeomaterials: obsidian artefacts." Revista do Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia. Suplemento, supl.2 (December 10, 1997): 191. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.2594-5939.revmaesupl.1997.113451.
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A obsidiana foi urna das matérias primas mais utilizadas na industria lírica pré-histórica; é encontrada em numerosos sitios arqueológicos de regiões vulcânicas, e também, em lugares às vezes distantes de sua origem. A busca de fontes naturais de onde provêm as obsidianas, encontradas em sitios arqueológicos, permite uma melhor compreensão dos sistemas de troca e/ou proveniência destes objetos. Por suas características físico-químicas e de afloramento, a obsidiana é urna das rochas preferidas para este tipo de estudo. Neste artigo, descrevemos brevemente dois métodos físicos atualmente utilizados em estudos de proveniência de obsidianas arqueológicas, a espectroscopia Mõssbauer e a datação por traços de fissão, onde são dados alguns exemplos de aplicação e comentadas as perspectivas oferecidas por esses métodos
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Moholy-Nagy, Hattula, and Fred W. Nelson. "New Data on Sources of Obsidian Artifacts from Tikal, Guatemala." Ancient Mesoamerica 1, no. 1 (1990): 71–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0956536100000080.
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AbstractIn 1984, 29 obsidian artifacts and an unworked nodule from Tikal were attributed to source by visual means and then analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). We conclude that the considerable within-source optical variability of gray Mesoamerican obsidians makes visual sourcing unreliable at present, although a corpus of descriptions of the optical characteristics of obsidian may eventually provide a way to exclude possible sources. The XRF analysis identified two additional central Mexican sources, bringing to six the number of Mexican obsidian sources represented at Tikal; failed to provide a secure identification for the nodule; supported the succession of Guatemalan obsidian sources utilized by the Southern Lowland Maya previously proposed by Nelson; and suggested other correlations between source, artifact type, and archaeological context.
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Negash, Agazi. "Obsidian in Ethiopia: a Geoarchaeological perspective." SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science 45, no. 3 (December 30, 2022): 369–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sinet.v45i3.11.
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In Ethiopia, obsidian is mainly found in the Afar Depression and the Main Ethiopian Rift. The compositional and petrological features of these obsidians vary. Some volcanic centers show that varying volcanic eruptions from a single center may not necessarily imply variable chemistry. Obsidian has been dated using K/Ar, Ar/Ar, and fission track methods to determine the time of eruption but there are also a few dates on artifacts by hydration dating to establish the time of tool manufacture. Many of the geological sources were utilized by prehistoric populations beginning at least since the Early Stone Age but obsidian became commonly used during the Middle Stone Age. Obsidian based stone tool use for scraping in Ethiopia persisted until recent times.
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Castro Esnal, Analía, Cecilia Pérez de Micou, and Charles R. Stern. "Circulación de obsidiana en Chubut, Patagonia Central, Argentina: uso de las materias primas extra-regionales como indicadores de movilidad e interacción entre grupos cazadores recolectores." Revista do Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia, no. 21 (December 9, 2011): 93. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.2448-1750.revmae.2011.89963.
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Os conjuntos de artefatos líticos recuperados em distintos tipos de sítios arqueológicos do Chubut mostram uma proeminência de matériasprimas locais, especialmente sílex, xilopalas e vulcanitas, nessa ordem. Esses materiais são acessíveis nas redondezas dos mesmos. As obsidianas, porém, aparecem em reduzida frequência e não se acham nas jazidas locais. O fato de haver fontes de obsidiana caracterizadas geo-quimicamente e localizadas pontualmente no espaço patagônico, possibilitou a identificação da origem dos achados nos resultados das análises geo-químicas de obsidianas de vários sítios no interior de Chubut e são discutidos em relação aos circuitos de mobilidade dos grupos humanos no espaço, estruturado pelas estradas. As conclusões apontam não apenas a existência de corredores de comunicação, mas também de encruzilhadas, ao mesmo tempo em que se propõe o uso da obsidiana associado a aspectos sociais ou simbólicos, e não somente tecnológicos.
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Mazer, J. J., C. M. Stevenson, W. L. Ebert, and J. K. Bates. "The Experimental Hydration of Obsidian as a Function of Relative Humidity and Temperature." American Antiquity 56, no. 3 (July 1991): 504–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/280898.
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The experimental hydration of obsidian for up to 30 days is described at relative humidities (RH) of 60, 90, 95, and 100 percent and at temperatures of 150, 160, and 175°C. Under isothermal conditions, the rate of hydration increased by as much as 25 percent between 60 and 100 percent RH. The RH dependence is nonlinear, with the majority of the rate increase occurring between 90 and 100 percent RH. The effect of RH can be related to the driving force for molecular water diffusion in obsidians as described by the chemical potential difference between water sorbed onto the obsidian surface and intrinsic water in the obsidian. The differences in hydration rates caused by RH differences in experiments approximate the error commonly described for obsidian-hydration dating. These results suggest that obsidian-hydration dating requires a knowledge of the site temperature and relative humidity in order to accurately generate age estimates.
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Moholy-Nagy, Hattula. "Source Attribution and the Utilization of Obsidian in the Maya Area." Latin American Antiquity 14, no. 3 (September 2003): 301–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3557562.
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AbstractAssignment by instrument of Maya obsidian artifacts to geological sources has demonstrated the presence of several sources and variations in their distribution over time and space. Of special interest is the minor, but long-standing, presence of green and gray obsidian from Central Mexico. More attributions of large, carefully selected samples are necessary to continue the considerable progress already achieved in understanding Maya obsidian procurement and use. However, assignment by visual means is not an appropriate method for the Maya area because of the range of optical characteristics exhibited by gray Guatemalan and Central Mexican obsidians, some of which are common to several geological sources. Moreover, the determination of obsidian sources must not be considered an end in itself. Combining source results with behavioral typology and archaeological data can further our understanding of obsidian procurement and use in past cultural context. Finally, it would be helpful if analysts reported trace element composition in a standardized manner, so that archaeologists can easily compare the results from different laboratories.
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Mosheim, E., and E. Althaus. "INVESTIGACIONES QUIMICAS Y OPTICAS DE OBSIDIANAS GEOLOGICAS Y ARQUEOLOGICAS DE MEXICO." Geofísica Internacional 27, no. 4 (October 1, 1988): 605–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.22201/igeof.00167169p.1988.27.4.812.
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Se reporta un método físico que permite caracterizar muestras arqueológicas de obsidiana y atribuirlas a sus fuentes geológicas con el objeto de reconstruir las relaciones comerciales de la época prehispánica en México. El método utilizado es la Fotometría Microscópica, el cual mide el comportamiento de las muestras de obsidiana con la luz UV, VIS e IR cercano. Con una evaluación apropiada de los datos es posible ubicar las muestras arqueológicas en provincias de yacimientos geológicos. Debido a que el comportamiento óptico está directamente relacionado con la composición química, se deberá concluir como condición básica que los diferentes yacimientos de obsidiana de la Faja Volcánica Mexicana (FMV) habrán de distinguirse significativamente en la composición química, de tal forma que se pueda ubicar claramente la zona de origen. Las mediciones de los elementos principales y trazas, así como la construcción de diagramas de correlación, muestran provincias de origen de las obsidianas geológicas de la FVM con que se pueden relacionar claramente las muestras arqueológicas. Tomando en cuenta la condición arriba establecida de un quimismo apreciablemente diferente en las obsidianas geológicas tiene sentido investigar las muestras arqueológicas frente a las geológicas fotoópticamente. A través de los datos ópticos obtenidos en 108 muestras arqueológicas del Altiplano Central de México, éstas se pueden atribuir a las siguientes regiones de abastecimiento: Región Oeste de la FVM: Mesa de Las Salvias, Nayarit (también conocida como Ixtlán del Río) y secundariamente Tequila y La Primavera, Jalisco. Región Central: San José, Michoacán (también conocida como Zinapécuaro), Cerro de Las Navajas (también conocida como Pachuca) y secundariamente Querétaro, Querétaro y Buenavista, Edo. De México, con amplias zonas de manufactura de obsidiana (también conocida como Barranca de Los Estetes u Otumba). Región Este de la FVM: Altotonga, Veracruz; Zaragoza, Puebla y Jacal, Veracruz, con amplias zonas de manufactura de obsidiana (también conocida como Pico de Orizaba).
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Healey, Elizabeth. "Obsidian as an indicator of inter-regional contacts and exchange: three case-studies from the Halaf period." Anatolian Studies 57 (December 2007): 171–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0066154600008590.
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AbstractObsidian was used to make tools and luxury items which were widely distributed in the ancient Near East. At most sites it is an imported material and, as such, has been used as an indicator of exchange, although little specific detail of the nature of that exchange is available. Even though methods of provenance analysis for obsidian are well established, often only a few samples per site have been analysed. This means there is not enough information to indicate the relative importance of the obsidian from each source, or to establish whether source preference changed through time or whether obsidians from different sources were treated differently. The restriction in numbers analysed is, at least in part, due to the expense and the destructive nature of provenance analysis and problems associated with obtaining sufficient samples. In an attempt to address these problems case-studies examining the obsidian assemblages from three sites of Halaf date will be used to demonstrate the potential of a method of grouping obsidians based on their physical characteristics, including colour; these groupings are confirmed by geochemical analysis. This allows the entire assemblage to be grouped quickly and cost effectively and, if used alongside techno-typological and spatial studies, enables us to begin to confront some of the issues outlined above.
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Telizhenko, Serhii, and Oleksandr Silaiev. "Lithic Assemblages of the Linear Pottery Culture Settlement Modrychi-I." Arheologia, no. 3 (September 27, 2022): 17–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.15407/arheologia2022.03.017.
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A total of 145 flint items, as well as four obsidians and seven stone-made artefacts, were collected during the excavations on the Linear Pottery culture settlement Modrychi-1 in Lviv Oblast, which is located within Ukrainian Outer Subcarpathia. The assemblage of flint and obsidian items has been analyzed as an integral complex that characterizes the material culture of the Neolithic settlement. The prevailing number of flint items such as cores, flakes and blades reflect on-site production. As for the obsidian artefacts, an attempt was made to establish the origin of raw materials.
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Harmon, Russell S., Chandra S. Throckmorton, Greg Haverstock, Dirk Baron, Robert M. Yohe, Richard R. Hark, and Jeffrey R. Knott. "Connecting Obsidian Artifacts with Their Sources Using Multivariate Statistical Analysis of LIBS Spectral Signatures." Minerals 13, no. 10 (September 30, 2023): 1284. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/min13101284.
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With the recent introduction of handheld instruments for field use, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is emerging as a practical technology for real-time in situ geochemical analysis in the field. LIBS is a form of optical emission spectroscopy that is simultaneously sensitive to all elements with a single laser shot so that a broadband LIBS spectrum can be considered a diagnostic geochemical fingerprint. Sets of LIBS spectra were collected for seven obsidian centers across north-central California, with data processed using multivariate statistical analysis and pattern recognition techniques. Although all obsidians exhibit similar bulk compositions, different regional obsidian sources were effectively discriminated via partial least squares discriminant analysis. Obsidian artifacts from seven archaeological sites were matched to their putative sources with a high degree of confidence.
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Castro, Jonathan, and Sebastian Walter. "Hybrid rhyolitic eruption at Big Glass Mountain, CA, USA." Volcanica 4, no. 2 (November 18, 2021): 257–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.30909/vol.04.02.257277.
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Eruptive dynamics of the 1060 CE rhyolitic eruption of Big Glass Mountain (BGM), USA, are investigated with field observations, hydrogen isotope and H2O content analysis of pyroclastic obsidian chips and lavas. Field relations at BGM reveal evidence for hybrid eruption, defined as synchronous explosive venting and effusive emplacement of vast obsidian lava flows. This activity is particularly well manifested by extensive breccia zones implanted within the BGM obsidian lavas, which may represent rafted tephra cones, in addition to remnants of airfall tephra on the lava. Rhyolitic obsidians collected from a 2.5-m-thick fall deposit and co-eruptive lava flow were studied by FTIR and TCEA methods to elucidate the eruption’s degassing history. The data, along with VolcDeGas program simulations, demonstrate a correlation between H2O content and H-isotopic composition (δD) that likely reflects ever-increasing amounts of volatile loss via repetitive close-system steps, best described as batched degassing.
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Liritzis, I., T. Ganetsos, and N. Laskaris. "Dating of Obsidian Tools by Water Diffusion (SIMS-SS) with a Novel Software." HNPS Proceedings 13 (February 20, 2020): 234. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/hnps.2974.
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Diffusion of environmental water into the surface of obsidian tools of archaeological origin is monitored by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), which provides a H+ concentration (C) versus hydration depth profile. The modeling of this diffusion process, as one-dimensional phenomena, is based on the idea that a saturated surface (SS) layer is encountered near the surface. A novel software program has been developed, using MATLAB, incorporating all numerical parameters for the dating of hydrated obsidians using the SIMS profile. This approach has been applied to several archaeological obsidians from the Aegean, Hungary, and Asia Minor and compared with samples from radiocarbon dated cultural phases where the agreement is excellent.
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Gore, Angela K., Kelly Graf, and Joshua J. Lynch. "Characterizing Archaeological Rhyolites in the Nenana Valley, Interior Alaska." Minerals 13, no. 9 (August 30, 2023): 1146. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/min13091146.
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Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is a useful geochemical technique employed to explore toolstone procurement strategies in the lithic record, commonly utilized in sourcing obsidians. Non-obsidian volcanic toolstones (e.g., dacites, rhyolites, basalts, and andesites) are abundant in interior Alaskan assemblages yet understudied compared to obsidian. Geochemical analyses of these non-obsidian materials offer the potential to gain new insights into ancient toolstone provisioning behaviors. This paper presents a synthesis of geochemical (pXRF) analyses of rhyolite artifacts, systematic regional raw material surveys, and lithic technological analyses collected from nineteen late Pleistocene and Holocene assemblages from the Nenana valley, interior Alaska. Previous research studies on archaeological rhyolites from the region are replicated, new rhyolite artifact groups are identified, and one new rhyolite source is reported and described here. Ultimately, this paper contributes to a growing body of geochemical research seeking to provide a more nuanced look at the complex late Pleistocene and Holocene record of eastern Beringia.
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Martin, Franco Foresta, Felice Larocca, Francesca Micheletti, Mauro Pallara, and Pasquale Acquafredda. "Archaeometric Characterization of Obsidian Artifacts at Casa dei Francesi (Ustica Island, Italy) and Clues of a Hidden Prehistoric Settlement." Open Archaeology 6, no. 1 (October 10, 2020): 236–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2020-0111.
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AbstractAt Ustica island (Palermo, Italy), in the area of Casa dei Francesi, 119 fragments of obsidian artifacts were collected on the surface of an agricultural field at an altitude of 50 m asl. In the same area, until now, scientific literature reports only the presence of late Roman pottery (4th–6th centuries AD), and no evidence has appeared that it could be the site of a prehistoric settlement. The most important prehistoric settlement, the Faraglioni Village (Middle Bronze Age) is located 700 m further north, overlooking the sea. Obsidian provenance analyses, performed on the 119 samples with absolutely non-destructive techniques WD-XRF and SEM-EDS, indicate two sources areas: Lipari (93 samples, 78%) and Pantelleria (26 samples, 22%). Concerning the obsidians from the island of Pantelleria, it was possible to also establish the sub-source of Salto la Vecchia. The typological and functional analyses of the 119 obsidian fragments point out that 115 are debitages, some of which show evidence of percussion bulbs, and only 4 are tools with micro-retouching. This work focuses on the geochemical and typological characterization of the obsidian assemblage collected, the characteristics of which suggest the existence of a prehistoric settlement in the area of the Casa dei Francesi or nearby.
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Pérez, Alberto E., Martin Giesso, and Michael D. Glascock. "Obsidian Distribution of the Northern Patagonian Forest Area and Neighboring Sectors during the Late Holocene (Neuquén Province, Argentina)." Open Archaeology 5, no. 1 (April 20, 2019): 121–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2019-0009.
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AbstractAnalysis of 519 obsidian artifacts (pebbles, debitage, cores and small bifaces) by nondestructive X-ray fluorescence from forests and steppes of southern Lanín National Park in the northern Patagonian Andean region, from Lácar (chemical group QU/AP), Lolog (CP-LL 1), Filo Hua-Hum (FHH), Paillakura (Pk, former unknown 1 group), Meliquina (MQ, former unknown group 2) and Yuco (YC) sources. Neutron activation analysis was applied to 29 of the artifacts. We identified for the first time the presence of obsidian from distant Covunco (PC1) in the center of Neuquén. This paper is the first English language publication of our ongoing, ten-year-long research. In accordance with previous work, but using other analytical techniques, the most frequently used sources during the late Holocene remain CP/LL 1 and Pk, here we add YC, mainly by the incorporation of new sites recently surveyed in the islands and the coast of Lake Lácar, next to its source. Another result consistent with previous work is the absence of obsidian from Mendoza and Chilean sources; therefore, we suggest these obsidians circulate just to the east and northeast, allowing us to discuss issues of human territoriality during the Late Holocene.
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Rice, Prudence M., Helen V. Michel, Frank Asaro, and Fred Stross. "Provenience Analysis of Obsidians from the Central Peten Lakes Region, Guatemala." American Antiquity 50, no. 3 (July 1985): 591–604. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/280323.
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A set of 296 obsidian artifacts from the lakes area of the Department of Peten, Guatemala, has been provenienced by X-ray fluorescence and neutron activation analysis. The obsidians come from socioeconomic contexts (primarily rural/domestic) and time periods—from the Middle Preclassic period, ca. 800 B.C., up to the time of Spanish contact, A.D. 1525—that have been poorly represented in previous Lowland provenience studies. Thus they provide new data on the acquisition and distribution of this important non-local commodity in the Maya Lowlands.
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Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J. "Preliminary results of a rock-magnetic study of obsidians from central Mexico." Geofísica Internacional 38, no. 2 (April 1, 1999): 83–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.22201/igeof.00167169p.1999.38.2.385.
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El análisis de parámetros de propiedades magnéticas (susceptibilidad de campo bajo, magnetización remanente natural (NRM), magnetización remanente isotermal (IRM) y coercitividad) medidos en muestras de 18 depósitos de obsidiana de la faja volcánica trans-mexicana permite la caracterización de estos depósitos. Los resultados preliminares indican que las obsidianas presentan diferencias en el contenido relativo de los óxidos de hierro y titanio y en su tamaño de grano, lo que resulta en un amplio rango de variación en las correspondientes propiedades magnéticas. En particular, se observa variación de hasta cinco órdenes de magnitud en la susceptibilidad y las intensidades de NRM e IRM. Las obsidianas provenientes de 13 diferentes depósitos muestran rangos para la susceptibilidad de 40 a 1500 10-6 SI, para la intensidad de NRM de 40 a 7130 mA/m y para la intensidad de IRM de 1370 a 23900 mA/m. Las obsidianas provenientes de 5 depósitos presentan en contraste valores más bajos, con susceptibilidades entre 10 y 20 10-6 SI, intensidades de NRM entre 0.1 y 26 mA/m e intensidades de IRM entre 4 y 500 mA/m. Gráficas logarítmicas para diferentes combinaciones de los parámetros magnéticos permiten una caracterización de las obsidianas. Sin embargo debe enfatizarse que se requieren estudios adicionales para refinar los resultados y permitir la distinción de depósitos individuales entre los dos grupos mayores observados con bajas y altas propiedades magnéticas.
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Carter, Tristan, and Vassilis Kilikoglou. "From Reactor to Royalty? Aegean and Anatolian Obsidians from Quartier Mu, Malia (Crete)." Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology 20, no. 1 (June 30, 2007): 115–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/jmea.2007.v20i1.115.
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This paper details the sourcing by neutron activation analysis of 60 obsidian artifacts from Quartier Mu, an important Middle Bronze Age complex at Malia, central Crete. Four sources are represented—three Aegean (Sta Nychia and Dhemenegaki on Melos, plus Giali), and one central Anatolian (East Göllü Dag?), an unusually wide array in an Aegean Bronze Age context, and one that reflects the community’s varied craft-working activities and overseas contacts. The raw materials enjoyed different uses, with clear evidence for the differential consumption of Melian obsidians. Furthermore, the East Göllü Dag? material attests connections with the kingdoms of central Anatolia at a crucial period of Crete’s own (pre)history, the time of the first ‘Minoan palaces’. It is suggested that the movement of this obsidian was embedded within diplomatic contacts and/or the metals trade: tin coming from the east, with Aegean silver channeled to the central Anatolian ka¯ru¯ and their Assyrian sponsors beyond.
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Paytyan, T., T. Sargsyan, and M. Kalantaryan. "Expanded obsidian as composite material for light concretes." E3S Web of Conferences 376 (2023): 03014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202337603014.
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Creation of composite building materials is a way of improvement of certain properties compared with such properties of source components as mechanical, physical, heat-insulating, acoustic, and in addition chemical stability, life span etc., or materials prime cost reduction, including at the expense of various waste utilization. In this connection, there is a lively interest in heat-insulating and acoustic insulation materials. In creating such materials the problem lies in an optimal solution concerning the choice of a light aggregate, binder and the simplest manufacturing technique for products of quite various shape and size. The advantage of a porous composite material is in unique combination of heat-insulating and structural properties and puts it on the same level with durable building materials designed for the same application. Many man-made formations, in particular solid waste, are valuable technological raw materials and can be involved in technological redistribution in order to obtain new composite building materials. In the production of crushed stone, sands from lithoid pumice and perlite, it is advisable to make the separation and separate obsidian. In this case, the separated obsidian turns into a production waste. Expansion of obsidian will make it possible to obtain a superlight large porous material and thereby solve environmental issues - to utilize production wastes. Concretes, produced using expanded obsidian, are of strength class B 12,5 and average density 1150-1200kg/m3 can be called structural and superlight concretes based on expanded obsidians. Heat conductivity factor of such concretes of 400-1200 kg/m3 average density varies from 0.125 to 0.35W/m0K.
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Rotolo, Silvio G., Maria Luisa Carapezza, Alessandra Correale, Franco Foresta Martin, Gregor Hahn, Alastair G. E. Hodgetts, Mariangela La Monica, et al. "Obsidians of Pantelleria (Strait of Sicily): A Petrographic, Geochemical and Magnetic Study of Known and New Geological Sources." Open Archaeology 6, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 434–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2020-0120.
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Abstract This paper provides new petrochemical and paleomagnetic data from obsidian sub-sources on the island of Pantelleria, exploited since the Neolithic. Data has been obtained from 14 obsidian samples from 4 locations: Fossa della Pernice (2 sites), Salto la Vecchia and Balata dei Turchi. Here, we aim to better characterize these obsidians using a cross-disciplinary and multi-analytical approach, to further understand their archaeological significance. Major element analyses (EMP) have enabled two compositional super-groups to be distinguished: (i) Fossa della Pernice, less peralkaline and (ii) Balata dei Turchi–Salto la Vecchia, distinctly more peralkaline and having almost identical chemical patterns. Trace element analyses (LA-ICP-MS) corroborate major element groupings, with the Balata dei Turchi–Salto la Vecchia super-group being further characterized by a pronounced negative europium anomaly. Glass H2O contents (FT-IR) reveal an overlap among all the sub-sources (H2O = 0.1–0.3 wt. %). Magnetic methods have refined the petrochemical groupings, permitting further distinction between Balata dei Turchi–Salto La Vecchia and the Fossa della Pernice super-groups. The occurrence of sub-microscopic (< 1 μm) ferromagnetic minerals results in different magnetic susceptibility and Natural Remanent Magnetization values and allows the best distinction among the products from the chosen sites. When compared with obsidian tools excavated from Bronze-age settlements on the island of Ustica (230 km NE of Pantelleria), 12% are distinctly peralkaline, indicating their provenance to be from the Balata dei Turchi sub-source.
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Banegas, Anahi, Julieta Gómez Otero, and Alberto Enrique Pérez. "Circulación y uso de obsidianas en la costa norte del golfo San Jorge (provincia de Chubut, Argentina) durante el Holoceno tardío: primeros resultados." Arqueología 27, no. 1 (April 2, 2021): 193–206. http://dx.doi.org/10.34096/arqueologia.t27.n1.7652.
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En este trabajo se presentan los resultados del análisis físico-químico (ED-XRF) y tecnológico de 21 artefactos de obsidiana procedentes de la costa norte del golfo San Jorge. Se identificaron cinco grupos químicos correspondientes a cuatro fuentes secundarias distantes entre 435 y 280 km del área. Tres fuentes son de localización conocida: Pampa del Asador (PDA1) al Sur, y Sacanana (S1) y Telsen/Sierra Negra (grupos T/SN1 y T/SN2), al Norte. La cuarta, Meseta de Somuncurá (MS), aún desconocida, estaría también ubicada al Norte. Dos dataciones radiocarbónicas —1950 14C AP y 1640 14C AP— señalan el uso de esta roca desde por lo menos el Holoceno tardío. En los muestreos líticos las obsidianas muestran baja frecuencia, en contraste con las abundantes materias primas locales (sílices, xilópalos y calcedonias), de excelente calidad para la talla. Predominan los artefactos pequeños, la mitad presenta reserva de corteza y las lascas superan levemente a las láminas. Los grupos tipológicos están representados por desechos, instrumentos y un núcleo. Se interpreta la explotación de rodados chicos y la ejecución in situ de todas las etapas de la reducción lítica. Se comparan y discuten estos resultados con los de otros muestreos de obsidianas de Patagonia central argentina.
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Yebra, Lucía Gabriela, Valeria Cortegoso, Silvina Castro, and Gustavo Lucero. "Abastecimiento de obsidiana en los Andes: aplicación de un modelo de distancia anisotrópica en el ´´área de Laguna del Diamante (S34°)." Relaciones 49, no. 1 (April 17, 2024): 094. http://dx.doi.org/10.24215/18521479e094.
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Se prueba un modelo de distancia anisotrópica elaborado en SIG para evaluar costos de desplazamiento en ambientes con topografías abruptas en función de la pendiente y tiempo recorrido (Lucero et al., 2021). Se aplican rangos propuestos (locales, no locales y extrarregionales) para evaluar costos de aprovisionamiento y cambios en el acceso a las fuentes de obsidiana: Arroyo Paramillos y Laguna del Diamante. Se evalúa la distribución de artefactos con análisis geoquímicos asignados a estas fuentes considerando la disponibilidad anual/estacional de sitios a partir de un análisis SIG de cobertura nívea. El decrecimiento de obsidianas sigue tendencias esperables de acuerdo con el fall-off de las fuentes, aunque es asimétrico a uno y otro lado de los Andes. Tendencias espaciales no esperables pueden explicarse por la localización de emplazamientos en umbrales variables de estacionalidad y acceso en función de cambios ambientales, pero también sociales vinculados a la territorialización del espacio.
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De Feo, María Eugenia, Silvia Susana Soria, and Claudia Macoritto Torcivia. "Circulación de obsidianas en una perspectiva de larga duración en Quebrada del Toro (Salta), Noroeste de Argentina." Comechingonia. Revista de Arqueología 24, no. 3 (November 30, 2020): 169–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.37603/2250.7728.v24.n3.31095.
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Este trabajo describe los resultados de los análisis de fluorescencia de rayos X (XRF) realizados sobre 30 muestras de obsidiana de sitios de Quebrada del Toro (Salta, Argentina), que cubren un lapso de alrededor de 2000 años de ocupación (ca. 2500˗500 AP). Establecida la procedencia de las muestras se discuten los patrones de distribución de esta materia prima observados entre los diferentes sitios y períodos considerados. Los resultados alcanzados permiten argumentar el uso relativamente sostenido en el tiempo de las canteras de Alto Tocomar, Laguna Blanca˗Zapaleri y Ona˗Las Cuevas (aunque esta última está ausente durante un intervalo de alrededor de 500 años), y algunas variaciones temporales en el uso de fuentes menores. Estos resultados proveen información para discutir el acceso y consumo de obsidianas desde una perspectiva de larga duración. Estas prácticas son evaluadas en el marco de los procesos de cambio ocurridos en el rango cronológico abordado, caracterizados por importantes transformaciones en los sistemas sociopolíticos y económicos.
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De Feo, María Eugenia. "Objetos, saberes y caminos: una mirada sobre la interacción social durante el Formativo a partir de la evidencia del sitio Muro Ancho (Incahuasi, Quebrada del Toro, Salta)." Relaciones 48, Especial 2 (October 5, 2023): 073. http://dx.doi.org/10.24215/18521479e073.
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Se presentan los resultados del estudio de la producción y circulación de alfarerías y de procedencia de obsidianas del sitio Muro Ancho, y del arte rupestre presente en sus inmediaciones, a fin de abordar la circulación de bienes, recursos e ideas durante el Período Formativo (700 a.C.-500 d.C.) en Quebrada del Toro. Los resultados alcanzados indican la presencia de modos técnicos y estilos que responden a tradiciones cerámicas locales, así como de otros procedentes de las yungas y del sector centro-sur de Quebrada de Humahuaca. Se determinó por fluorescencia de rayos X el uso de la fuente de obsidiana de Caldera Vilama junto con Zapaleri. Por su parte, el emplazamiento y los motivos y temáticas del arte rupestre lo vinculan con el manejo de camélidos. Se concluye que para el momento ocurrió un intercambio regular que involucró la circulación de diversas materialidades y saberes en esferas de distinto alcance espacial
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Brown, David O., Meredith L. Dreiss, and Richard E. Hughes. "Preclassic Obsidian Procurement and Utilization at the Maya Site of Colha, Belize." Latin American Antiquity 15, no. 2 (June 2004): 222–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/4141555.
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Abstract This study explores the early use of obsidian at the Maya site of Colha in northern Belize and the implications that variations in source distribution have for the site and its regional connections. Energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis of 104 specimens of obsidian from Preclassic contexts at the site identified El Chayal obsidian as the most common overall followed closely by that from San Martin Jilotepeque. Ixtepeque obsidian, not common in many Preclassic assemblages, was also strongly represented. The results revealed a Middle Preclassic dependence on San Martin obsidian gradually diminishing through the Preclassic to the Classic period, when San Martin all but disappears from the site. A corresponding increase in El Chayal obsidian use through time at Colha coincides with the rise of Kaminaljuyu in the Guatemalan highlands. Analysis of the obsidian by context indicated that El Chayal obsidian dominated in architectural and ritual deposits while Ixtepeque obsidian was the most common in workshops. San Martin accounted for a slightly greater percentage than El Chayal obsidian in middens, with Ixtepeque materials notably less common. The data indicate that Colha was connected to a broad distribution network from the Middle Preclassic onward, and that obsidian source variability was greater during the Preclassic than the subsequent Classic period.
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Aoyama, Kazuo. "PRECLASSIC AND CLASSIC MAYA INTERREGIONAL AND LONG-DISTANCE EXCHANGE: A DIACHRONIC ANALYSIS OF OBSIDIAN ARTIFACTS FROM CEIBAL, GUATEMALA." Latin American Antiquity 28, no. 2 (April 20, 2017): 213–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/laq.2017.2.
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Diachronic analysis of obsidian artifacts collected from Ceibal, Guatemala, can illuminate long-term patterns and changes in the Preclassic and Classic Maya interregional and long-distance exchange systems. For this analysis sources of all obsidian artifacts were identified by a combination of pXRF of a sample of 5,375 obsidian artifacts and visual examination of 7,073 artifacts. The interregional exchange of large polyhedral cores of obsidian from the Maya highlands and local production of pressure blades began after the rise of political complexity at Ceibal, by the early Middle Preclassic Real 3 phase (775–700 B.C.). El Chayal obsidian was heavily used during the early Middle Preclassic period, but San Martín Jilotepeque was the principal source of obsidian in the late Middle Preclassic, Late Preclassic, and Terminal Preclassic periods. Procurement of large polyhedral cores of obsidian from the Maya highlands increased over the same period. Obsidian was also imported in the form of nodules for the production of percussion flakes during the Preclassic period. Throughout the Classic period obsidian was imported mainly in the form of more prepared polyhedral cores that were reduced into pressure blades at Ceibal, and El Chayal resumed its place as the principal source of obsidian. This period also saw long-distance exchange of finished obsidian artifacts from highland Mexico. Interregional exchange of obsidian from the Maya highlands was of great economic significance for the inhabitants of the community and was more crucial for the development of lowland Maya civilization than was long-distance exchange.
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Le Bourdonnec, F. X., A. D’Anna, G. Poupeau, C. Lugliè, L. Bellot-Gurlet, P. Tramoni, and H. Marchesi. "Obsidians artefacts from Renaghju (Corsica Island) and the Early Neolithic circulation of obsidian in the Western Mediterranean." Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 7, no. 4 (August 14, 2014): 441–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12520-014-0206-3.
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Ford, Anabel, Fred Stross, Frank Asaro, and Helen V. Michel. "Obsidian Procurement and Distribution in the Tikal-Yaxha Intersite Area of the Central Maya Lowlands." Ancient Mesoamerica 8, no. 1 (1997): 101–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0956536100001607.
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AbstractObsidian from known outcrops in the Mesoamerican highlands has been recovered from lowland Maya sites, providing significant evidence for long-distance procurement and local redistribution of obsidian by the ancient Maya. Prior chemical-characterization studies of obsidian from the lowland Maya area provide a foundation for the study of Tikal-Yaxha obsidian presented here. The samples used in this analysis came from middens associated with 12 residential units located between Tikal and Yaxha and dating from the Preclassic through Terminal Classic periods. The results of chemical sourcing of the Tikal-Yaxha samples generally lend support to current interpretations of changes in obsidian distribution and procurement in the central Maya lowlands. During the Preclassic period, most obsidian was imported from the San Martín Jilotepeque-Río Pixcaya source area. Obsidian from the El Chayal source predominated throughout the Classic period, although some Mexican Pachuca obsidian appeared in Early Classic contexts, and Ixtepepque obsidian was apparently restricted to the Terminal Classic period.
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Coblenz, Michael, Reed Oei, Tyler Etzel, Paulette Koronkevich, Miles Baker, Yannick Bloem, Brad A. Myers, Joshua Sunshine, and Jonathan Aldrich. "Obsidian." ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems 42, no. 3 (December 2020): 1–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3417516.
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Tripkovic, Boban, and Marina Milic. "The origin and exchange of obsidian from Vinca-Belo Brdo." Starinar, no. 58 (2008): 71–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/sta0858071t.
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Since the time of the revolutionary characterization of obsidian in the 1960's only a small number of artefacts from the Serbian sites have been analyzed, of which at least seven samples come from the site of Vinca. These results showed that obsidian was coming from Carpathian sources, disproving old romantic ideas of the existence of local obsidian sources in the central Balkans. These results allowed for the development of ideas about exchange networks of interregional importance during the Late Neolithic in which obsidian was an integral component. In this paper we will be discussing the results of the characterization of 60 obsidian samples, representing ca. 4% of the entire obsidian assemblage from the site. The samples were taken from the whole Neolithic sequence at Vinca selecting macroscopically different obsidian types.
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Johnson, Nadia E., and Kenneth G. Hirth. "ALTICA, COAPEXCO, AND THE ROLE OF MIDDLEMEN IN FORMATIVE OBSIDIAN EXCHANGE." Ancient Mesoamerica 30, no. 2 (2019): 295–310. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095653611800041x.
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AbstractAltica's location in the Patlachique Range, 10 km away from the Otumba obsidian source, suggests its potential role in the distribution of Otumba obsidian. Altica may have been an important Formative middleman and processing site for obsidian exchange within the Basin of Mexico. To the south, Coapexco's position along a natural, restricted inlet to the Basin of Mexico may have enabled it to function as a node for pooling and distributing material into the Basin. This paper combines geochemical sourcing and technological data drawn from several Early and Middle Formative obsidian assemblages to reconstruct the movement of obsidian in this period to identify obsidian sources and consumption sites. In doing so, the paper assesses the role that intermediary sites like Altica and Coapexco could have played in the processing and distribution of obsidian into more distant consumption sites.
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Fauzi, Mohammad Ruly, Andy S. Wibowo, and Rhis Eka Wibawa. "Identifikasi Sumber-Sumber Obsidian Di Merangin Dan Sarolangun (Jambi, Sumatra) Berdasarkan Analisis Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (Pxrf)." AMERTA 37, no. 2 (January 23, 2020): 93. http://dx.doi.org/10.24832/amt.v37i2.93-108.
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Abstract. Prehistory of Sumatra well characterized by its abundant numbers of obsidian industry, one of which is in Jambi Province. However, determination on the geochemical characteristic of obsidian from Jambi is still lacking. Portable X-Ray Fluorescence analysis (pXRF) on obsidian samples from Merangin and Sarolangun proved the existence of three different obsidian sources in Jambi. It is obtained through the determination of pXRF on the particular trace elements: Rb, Sr, Zr, Y, Nb, Ti and Mn. The results are then analyzed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to arrange the same obsidian sources. This result is then corroborated with the Independent Sample T-Test. This analysis reveals the similarity in trace-element concentration amongst the same source, as well as their differences within different sources. This study contributes to the identification of two new obsidian sources from Sarolangun that have never been reported before. As a result, there are five known-sources of obsidian in Southern Sumatra, in which three other sources were previously identified by Ambrose et al. (2009) and Reepmeyer et al. (2011).Abstrak. Prasejarah Sumatra terkenal dengan industri obsidiannya yang melimpah, salah satunya yaitu di wilayah Jambi. Namun demikian, determinasi karakteristik geokimia obsidian dari wilayah Jambi hingga saat ini masih sangat terbatas jumlahnya. Analisis Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) pada sampel obsidian dari Merangin dan Sarolangun membuktikan adanya tiga sumber obsidian yang berbeda di wilayah Jambi. Perbedaan tersebut diperoleh melalui determinasi pXRF pada unsur-jejak Rb, Sr, Zr, Y, Nb, Ti dan Mn. Hasil determinasi kemudian dianalisis dengan metode Principal Component Analysis (PCA) untuk mengelompokkan sumber-sumber obsidian yang sama. Hasil analisis tersebut kemudian diperkuat oleh analisis Independent Sample T-Test yang menunjukkan kemiripan proporsi unsur-jejak pada sumber yang sama, sekaligus perbedaannya pada sumber yang berlainan. Studi memberikan kontribusi berupa identifikasi dua sumber obsidian baru dari Sarolangun (Batang Asai 1 dan 2) yang belum pernah dilaporkan sebelumnya. Dengan demikian terdapat lima sumber obsidian di Sumatra Bagian Selatan, dimana tiga sumber lainnya (i.e. Kerinci, OKU dan Tapus) telah berhasil diidentifikasi oleh Ambrose dkk. (2009) dan Reepmeyer dkk. (2011).
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Cantone, Valentina, Rita Deiana, Alberta Silvestri, and Ivana Angelini. "Obsidian and Obsidian-like Glass Tesserae: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Dedication Wall Mosaic in the Church of St. Mary of the Admiral in Palermo (12th Century)." Open Archaeology 6, no. 1 (December 31, 2020): 403–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2020-0116.
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AbstractPliny the Elder testifies that roman workshops used volcanic glass (obsidian), but also produced and used a dark glass (obsidian-like glass) quite similar to the natural one. In the context of the study on medieval mosaics, the use of the obsidian and obsidian-like tesserae is a challenging research topic. In this paper, we present the results of a multidisciplinary study carried out on the Dedication wall mosaic, realized by a byzantine workshop in the 12th century in the Church of St. Mary of the Admiral in Palermo, and where numerous black-appearing tesserae, supposed to be composed of obsidian by naked-eyes observation, are present. Historical documents, multispectral imaging of the wall mosaic, and some analytical methods (SEM-EDS and XRPD) applied to a sample of black tesserae, concur in identifying here the presence of obsidian and different obsidian-like glass tesserae. This evidence, although related to the apparent tampering and restoration, could open a new scenario in the use of obsidian and obsidian-like glass tesserae during the Byzantine period in Sicily and in the reconstruction of multiple restoration phases carried out between 12th and 20th century AD on the mosaics of St. Mary of the Admiral.
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Cantone, Valentina, Rita Deiana, Alberta Silvestri, and Ivana Angelini. "Obsidian and Obsidian-like Glass Tesserae: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Dedication Wall Mosaic in the Church of St. Mary of the Admiral in Palermo (12th Century)." Open Archaeology 6, no. 1 (December 31, 2020): 403–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2020-0116.
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AbstractPliny the Elder testifies that roman workshops used volcanic glass (obsidian), but also produced and used a dark glass (obsidian-like glass) quite similar to the natural one. In the context of the study on medieval mosaics, the use of the obsidian and obsidian-like tesserae is a challenging research topic. In this paper, we present the results of a multidisciplinary study carried out on the Dedication wall mosaic, realized by a byzantine workshop in the 12th century in the Church of St. Mary of the Admiral in Palermo, and where numerous black-appearing tesserae, supposed to be composed of obsidian by naked-eyes observation, are present. Historical documents, multispectral imaging of the wall mosaic, and some analytical methods (SEM-EDS and XRPD) applied to a sample of black tesserae, concur in identifying here the presence of obsidian and different obsidian-like glass tesserae. This evidence, although related to the apparent tampering and restoration, could open a new scenario in the use of obsidian and obsidian-like glass tesserae during the Byzantine period in Sicily and in the reconstruction of multiple restoration phases carried out between 12th and 20th century AD on the mosaics of St. Mary of the Admiral.
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Periferakis, Argyrios. "A Review of Obsidian Source Exploitation in pre-Columbian South America." Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece 55, no. 1 (October 15, 2019): 65. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/bgsg.20997.
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The focus of this paper is the obsidian quarries of the Pacific coast of pre-Columbian South America, which were exploited by the indigenous populations since ca. 11000 BC. The importance of obsidian in geoarchaeology and palaeoanthropology has already been demonstrated in sites from all around the world. In this paper, the presence of obsidian in correlation to tectonic activity and volcanism of South America is presented, along with the main sources in their regional geological context. Obsidian artefacts were the mainstay of everyday life of indigenous populations and obsidian was also used in manufacturing weapons. Despite advances in metallurgy, which were comparable with those of contemporary European states, obsidian was never supplanted by metal implements and weapons, until the Spanish conquest. Obsidian is as useful today, as it was to these civilisations, albeit in the different role, of discerning interactions between local societies, elucidating aspects of everyday life, and tracing palaeomobility and trade networks.
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Chia, Stephen, Lutfi Yondri, and Truman Simanjuntak. "The Origins of the Obsidian Artifacts from Gua Pawon, Dago and Bukit Karsamanik in Bandung, Indonesia." AMERTA 25, no. 1 (February 26, 2020): 48–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.24832/amt.v25i1.48-57.
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Abstract. This paper presents the results of a study to determine whether the obsidian artifacts found in Gua Pawon, Dago and Bukit Karsamanik in Bandung came from the well-known sources of Gunung Kendan in Nagreg, Kampung Rejeng in Garut or elsewhere. Obsidian artifacts for this study were obtained from earlier archaeological excavations at Gua Pawon and from chance finds at the sites of Dago and Bukit Karsamanik in Bandung. Samples of obsidian were also collected from the known obsidian sources in Gunung Kendan in Nagreg and Kampung Rejeng in Garut for comparative purposes.Analyses of these samples were done on a scanning electron microscope using the energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer at the University of Science Malaysia, Penang and the electron microprobe at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Multi-element analysis was undertaken, and statistical procedures were performed on data obtained from the artifacts and the sources. The results of the study thus far suggested that the obsidian artifacts from Gua Pawon were made using obsidian obtained from both Gunung Kendan and Kampung Rejeng sources while those from Dago and Bukit Karsamanik have yet to be determined. More samples from all the known obsidian sources are needed to determine the variability within and between all the different sources. Temporally, the study also revealed that prehistoric humans at Gua Pawon exploited or used the same obsidian resources over several thousands of years. Abstrak. Tulisan ini membahas hasil studi tentang sumber bahan baku artefak obsidian yang ditemukan di Gua Pawon, Dago, dan Bukit Karsamanik, Bandung. Analisis dilakukan terhadap sejumlah artefak obsidian, temuan ekskavasi di Gua Pawon dan temuan permukaan di Situs Dago dan Bukit Karsamanik. Untuk perbandingan dilakukan juga analisis terhadap obsidian dari Gunung Kendan di Nagrek dan Kampung Rejeng di Garut, dua lokasi sumber obsidian di Jawa Barat.Analisis dilakukan dengan cara "scanning electron microscope", menggunakan "energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer" di Universitas Sains Malaysia, Penang dan "electron microprobe" di Universitas Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Analisis multielemen dan perhitungan statistic dilakukan terhadap data yang diperoleh dari artefak dan bahan. Hasil studi memperlihatkan artefak obsidian dari Gua Pawon menggunakan bahan dari Gunung Kendan dan Kampung Rejeng, sementara artefak Dago dan Bukit Karsamanik belum diketahui sumbernya. Analisis terhadap bahan dari sumber-sumber lain sangat diperlukan untuk menentukan variabilitas di dalam dan di antarasumber-sumber yang berbeda. Untuk sementara, hasil studi memperlihatkan manusia prasejarah Gua Pawon mengeksploitasi dan menggunakan sumber-sumber obsidian yang sama selama beberapa ribu tahun.
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O’Shea, John M., Ashley K. Lemke, Brendan S. Nash, Elisabeth P. Sonnenburg, Jeffery R. Ferguson, Alex J. Nyers, and Danielle J. Riebe. "Central Oregon obsidian from a submerged early Holocene archaeological site beneath Lake Huron." PLOS ONE 16, no. 5 (May 19, 2021): e0250840. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250840.
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Obsidian, originating from the Rocky Mountains and the West, was an exotic exchange commodity in Eastern North America that was often deposited in elaborate caches and burials associated with Middle Woodland era Hopewell and later complexes. In earlier times, obsidian is found only rarely. In this paper we report two obsidian flakes recovered from a now submerged paleolandscape beneath Lake Huron that are conclusively attributed to the Wagontire obsidian source in central Oregon; a distance of more than 4,000 km. These specimens, dating to ~ 9,000 BP, represent the earliest and most distant reported occurrence of obsidian in eastern North America.
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Seelenfreund, Andrea, Charles Rees, Roger Bird, Graham Bailey, Roberto Bárcena, and Victor Durán. "Trace-Element Analysis of Obsidian Sources and Artifacts of Central Chile (Maule River Basin) and Western Argentina (Colorado River)." Latin American Antiquity 7, no. 1 (March 1996): 7–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3537011.
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The present paper describes obsidian sources and compositional analysis performed on obsidian recovered from natural flows in the upper Maule River basin (central Chile). We compare the composition of this obsidian with that of obsidian artifacts recovered from selected archaeological sites both in the middle and lower valley of the Maule River and in the Argentinian provinces of Mendoza and Neuquén. The results indicate that the collected obsidian samples can be separated into six major groups. Most of the obsidian artifacts are assignable to a particular source area, but there still remain some unknown sources. We conclude that the Laguna del Maule source area was exploited from at least 50 A.D. onward and that the material was distributed to sites located more than 200 km from the source.
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Robin, Anna-Kyria, Katrin Sieron, and José Carlos Beltrán Medina. "Obsidian Sources of Prehispanic Artefacts from Cultures near Ceboruco Volcano, Nayarit, Mexico." Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica Natural Sciences in Archaeology XIV, no. 2 (December 19, 2023): 201–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.24916/iansa.2023.2.4.
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Ceboruco, located in the western part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt is an active stratovolcano in Nayarit, Mexico, with the last historic eruption in 1870–1875. The fertile valleys around this volcano have been occupied for several thousands of years. The recognised pre-Hispanic human settlements include the Shaft tomb and Aztatlán cultures, which were present in the vicinity of the volcano before and after the well-studied Plinian Jala eruption in 890 AD, respectively. Both cultures left abundant archaeological materials in housing units and cemeteries, including obsidian tools. In this study, we compare archaeological samples (poorly preserved tools or parts of them) with obsidian samples from local outcrops, as well as other known regional obsidian mine sites. We use hand sample and chemical analyses of main and trace elements. The results are statistically evaluated by using the Mahalanobis distance-method in order to assign probable sources. We show that obsidian has been locally extracted from long-known obsidian mines near Ixtlán del Río, but also from obsidian layers at the nearby Sierra Madre Occidental Mountain Range and the Pochotero obsidian dome. Nevertheless, clear evidence for obsidian trade since the earliest occupations has also been found, as we identified sources from the neighbouring states such as Jalisco.
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Franco, Foresta Martin, and Robert H. Tykot. "Characterization and Provenance of Archaeological Obsidian from Pirozza-Spalmatore, a Site of Neolithic Colonization on the Island of Ustica (Sicily)." Open Archaeology 5, no. 1 (April 20, 2019): 4–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opar-2019-0002.
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AbstractThis article presents the first archaeometric research carried out so far on a group of obsidian artifacts collected in the promontory of Pirozza-Spalmatore, the site of a Neolithic settlement on the small island of Ustica (Sicily, Italy). The obsidian assemblage, consisting of 28 artifacts, was subjected to optical, typological and geochemical analyses, the latter carried out by means of a portable pXRF, in order to determine their provenance. The results indicate that 89% of the fragments come from geologic obsidian outcrops on the island of Lipari, and 11% from the island of Pantelleria. It is thus ascertained that, during the Neolithic, Ustica used two different sources of obsidian, located 150–250 km away from the site. These obsidian sources were typical of some western Sicily prehistoric villages, while eastern Sicilian villages seem to have imported obsidian exclusively from Lipari. The analyses indicate that all the obsidian artifacts attributed to Lipari come from the geological deposit of Gabellotto, while those attributed to Pantelleria come from the two distinct deposits of Lago di Venere and Balata dei Turchi.
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Vidal-Solano, Jesús Roberto, Alejandra Marisela Gómez-Valencia, Adriana Hinojo-Hinojo, and Rufino Lozano-Santa Cruz. "Geochemistry and geological control of Sonora obsidian: New insights into the provenance study of archaeological obsidians in Mexico." Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (December 2020): 102840. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102840.
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Anderson, Duane C., Joseph A. Tiffany, and Fred W. Nelson. "Recent Research on Obsidian from Iowa Archaeological Sites." American Antiquity 51, no. 4 (October 1986): 837–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/280870.
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In this paper we summarize the results of six years of passive obsidian collecting in Iowa during which time 31 samples were obtained and subjected to trace element analysis. We find that: (1) 74% of the obsidian originated at the Obsidian Cliff Quarry in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; and (2) in contrast with earlier midwestern studies where obsidian was found in ritual contexts on Middle Woodland sites, the Iowa material is associated with a broader temporal range and on sites where ritual use is not evident. A discussion of the analytical methods used is provided as well as of previous research on midwestern obsidian finds.
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Hughes, Richard E. "Another Look at Hopewell Obsidian Studies." American Antiquity 57, no. 3 (July 1992): 515–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/280939.
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Hatch et al. (1990) recently presented the results of research on the sources and ages of obsidian artifacts from four Hopewell sites in Illinois and Ohio. The present comment identifies ambiguities in artifact-to-source attributions that compromise the subsequent source-specific obsidian-hydration objectives of the study. Examination of obsidian-hydration rim-measurement resolution and associated error estimates, disagreements about the validity of laboratory-induced obsidian-hydration rates used in the study, and contradictions between rim measurements on the same specimens lend no support to the authors' conclusion that obsidian was conveyed into these sites throughout the entire temporal duration of Hopewell mound construction.
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Pool, Christopher A., Charles L. F. Knight, and Michael D. Glascock. "FORMATIVE OBSIDIAN PROCUREMENT AT TRES ZAPOTES, VERACRUZ, MEXICO: IMPLICATIONS FOR OLMEC AND EPI-OLMEC POLITICAL ECONOMY." Ancient Mesoamerica 25, no. 1 (2014): 271–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0956536114000169.
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AbstractWe report the results of chemical sourcing of obsidian artifacts from Tres Zapotes using X-ray fluorescence analysis. This is the first obsidian sourcing study for this major Olmec and Epi-Olmec center in which samples are drawn from secure archaeological proveniences specifically assigned to Early, Middle, Late Formative, and Protoclassic periods. We employed a stratified random sampling strategy to select 180 obsidian artifacts from excavated assemblages, supplementing the random sample with another 24 specimens drawn from rare visual categories. Consequently, we are able to characterize changes in the relative importance of different obsidian sources in the political economy of Tres Zapotes across the critical transition from Olmec to Epi-Olmec society with greater confidence than has been possible for the Gulf lowlands while extending our observations to the full sample of 5,713 visually characterized obsidian artifacts—2,695 of which come from the well-dated Formative contexts examined in this article. Our study confirms the absence of obsidian from Otumba and from Guatemalan sources in the excavated Olmec assemblage in favor of sources from eastern Puebla and Veracruz, supporting a model of overlapping autonomous networks for obsidian procurement at Gulf Olmec sites. Presence of the Guatemalan San Martín Jilotepeque source in Epi-Olmec contexts may relate to the reestablishment of trans-Isthmian contacts, while increasing prevalence of Zaragoza-Oyameles obsidian from eastern Puebla marks the beginning of a long-term trend. Although more even representation of obsidian sources in Epi-Olmec contexts is consistent with the hypothesized transition from an exclusionary Olmec political economy toward a more “corporate” system associated with power sharing among factional leaders at Tres Zapotes, neither Olmec nor Epi-Olmec elites monopolized a particular obsidian source or technology.