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Interpreting Intrasource Variation in the Composition of Obsidian: The Geoarchaeology of San Martin Jilotepeque, Guatemala

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Geoffrey E. Braswell  and
Michael D. Glascock
Geoffrey E. Braswell
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo NY 14261 and Departamento de Arqueología, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Apartado Postal 82, Guatemala, Guatemala
Michael D. Glascock
Affiliation:
Research Reactor Center, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211
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Abstract

Compositional analyses have long been used to assign obsidian artifacts to particular source areas. In most cases, the chemical “fingerprint” of a particular source area has been determined through the assay of only a few geological specimens from one or two outcrops. As a result, the full range of intrasource compositional variation has rarely been noted, and its spatial patterning frequently has not been studied. This report describes the results of geoarchaeological survey at the important Guatemalan source area of San Martín Jilotepeque. Neutron activation analysis demonstrates the presence of seven distinct chemical “fingerprints” corresponding to spatially discrete subsources within the region. Ancient procurement and production are associated with only three of these subsources. Statistical procedures that can be used to assign artifacts to particular quarries or quarry systems are presented. Several minor Guatemalan source areas also are examined, and one (Media Cuesta) also can be characterized as consisting of two distinct subsources.

Los análisis de composición han sido utilizados desde hace mucho tiempo para relacionar los artefactos de obsidiana con yacimientos particulares. En la mayoría de los casos, la huella química de una fuente determinada ha sido establecida por análisis solamente de pocas muestras geológicas de uno o dos afloramientos. Como resultado, el rango completo de variabilidad en la composición dentro de la misma fuente ha sido raramente identificado y los patrones espaciales no han sido estudiados. El presente estudio describe los resultados del reconocimiento geoarqueológico en la importante fuente guatemalteca de San Martín Jilotepeque. El análisis por activación neutrónica demuestra la presencia de siete huellas químicas distintas, las cuales corresponden a yacimientos secundarios separados espacialmente en la región. La obtención y la producción antigua están asociadas con solamente tres de estos yacimientos secundarios. Presentamos los procedimientos estadísticos que pueden usarse para relacionar artefactos a canteras específicas o a sistemas particulares de canteras. Se examinan también algunas fuentes guatemaltecas menores, una de las cuales (Media Cuesta) se caracteriza por contener dos yacimientos secundarios distintos.

Type
Reports
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , December 1998 , pp. 353 - 369
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1998

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