Source determination of obsidian from Kansas archaeological sitesusing compositional analysis

摘要

Obsidian is an excellent material for the manufacture of stone tools. While there are notool-quality obsidian sources in Kansas, obsidian is recovered from Kansas archaeologicalsites. Our recent chemical analysis of 189 samples of obsidian from Kansas archaeologicalsites demonstrates that obsidian was most commonly used after about 1000 BP, and thatsources in New Mexico were used most frequently, but not exclusively. Obsidian sources inWyoming, Idaho, and Utah also were used, particularly by populations in the northernhalf of the Kansas, and three samples matched a source area in Hidalgo, Mexico. Finally,there is evidence that specific obsidian source use was a function not only of proximity,but of social relationships as well.