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Another Look at Hopewell Obsidian Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Richard E. Hughes
Richard E. Hughes*
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Studies, Department of Anthropology, California State University, Sacramento, CA 95819-6106
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Abstract

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.

Resumen

Resumen

Hatch et al. (1990) han presentado recientemente los resultados de su investigatión sobre las fuentes y edad de los artefactos de obsidiana provenientes de cuatro sitios Hopewell en Illinois y Ohio. El presente comentario identifica ambigüedades en las atribuciones de artefactos a ciertas fuentes que comprometen los objetivos del estudio en cuanto a la hidratación de obsidiana. El examen de la resolución de las mediciones de los hordes de obsidiana hidratada y los errores estimados que éstas implican, junto con desacuerdos en cuanto a la validez de los indices de hidratación inducidos en el laboratorio y contradicciones entre las mediciones de bordes en los mismos especímenes dejan sin fundamento la conclusión de los autores de que la obsidiana fue introducida en estos sitios durante todo el período de constructión de montículos Hopewell.

Type
Comments
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 57 , Issue 3 , July 1992 , pp. 515 - 523
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1992 

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