Trace element analysis of obsidian allows us to identify the sources of artifacts made from this desirable tool stone. Most obsidian studies focus on material recovered from a single site the 260 obsidian artifacts in this study were recovered from 72 sites on the east side of the Mt. Hood National Forest. These were identified as originating from 18 known and 12 unknown sources. The known sources include major regional quarries, local sources and an unusual number of small sources located some distance away. The artifacts in this study were recovered from short-term seasonal (summer) camps and have a more complex distribution then that of near by winter settlements. The implications for identification of territorial boundaries (using the local sources), long and short distance trade, seasonal round, and site age are explored.

Describes the "decentralized resource exploitation, manufacturing and exchange network" associated with obsidian mines near Teotihuacán during the classic period. Detailed, but somewhat conjectural, picture of the mining, manufacturing, "marketing" system. Maps somewhat obscure. Emphasizes the importance of such "nonsubsistence production and exchange...in the evolution of this first Mesoamerican civilization". His thesis is roughly that monopoly on obsidian blade production was an important factor in Teotihuacán's political dominance of Central Mexico. Later work (Clark, 1986) suggests he overestimates the importance of obsidian exploitation in the Teotihuacán economy.

Obsidian was widely used by our ancestors for tool making. In Georgia and neighbouring Armenia this natural glass was recognised in several volcanic complexes distributed over wide areas. In the frame of an INTAS research project, 44 samples from the obsidian occurrences of these complexes were analysed using the fission-track (FT) dating method in order to (1) better constrain the history of Plio-Pleistocene volcanism of this region and (2) to create a reference data-set for identification of the source of archaeological obsidian artefacts. According to geological expectation, most of the studied obsidian occurrences yielded Pleistocene ages. Only two volcanic complexes have Pliocene age. The determined formation ages cluster into restricted groups: 0.042 - 0.120 Ma, 0.25 - 0.40 Ma, 0.43 - 0.56 Ma, 1.17 - 1.38 Ma, 1.53 Ma, 2.34 - 2.63 Ma and 4.26 - 4.56 Ma. These data indicate that volcanic activities characterised by obsidian eruptions developed during short time spans.

The FT data-set on geological samples was used for provenance studies of 109 artefacts from 23 sites representing a large time span, since Chalcolithic up to Early Iron Age, distributed all over Armenia. Most of these artefacts originated from Armenian sources. Two groups of «foreign» obsidians from sites located in the NW and NE corners of Armenia were attributed to sources located in the adjacent regions of Turkey and Georgia. Results of this study prove that the FT method is (1) an efficient tool for geochronological studies of obsidian-bearing volcanics, also in case of very young rocks and represents (2) a reliable alternative for provenance studies of obsidian artefacts.[IAOS B30]

Critical review of literature about obsidian mining, prismatic blade manufacture and related trade in Teotihuacan. Strongly suggests that the magnitude and economic importance of this activity has been exaggerated beyond what existing data will support. Good discussion of the technology of prismatic blade manufacture and how the remains of various stages of this process can be identified archaeologically.

This paper summarizes the relationship between prehistoric lithic technology and raw material economy at the Birch Creek Site (35ML181), southeastern Oregon. This site includes a stratigraphic sequence of three occupation surfaces and fill episodes above Mazama ash and dates to within a period of approximately 4400-2400 B.P. Abundant local chert provides the staple lithic resource at 35ML181 and non-local obsidian was transported from thirteen distinct geologic sources. Four source groups (Coyote Wells, Indian Creek Buttes, Sourdough Mountain, and Venator) dominate the obsidian artifact assemblage and most volcanic glass was potentially obtained from within 40 kilometers of the site. [IAOS B30]