Subsource characterization: Obsidian utilization of subsources of the Coso volcanic field, Coso Junction, California, USA

Abstract

AbstractSix chemical subsource groups were identified in the analysis of 84 obsidian samples collected from subsource locations at Coso volcanic field, California. In prehistoric times, Coso provided obsidian for artifacts found from San Francisco Bay to San Diego to Death Valley to the eastern Mojave Desert. Subsource groups were defined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of 29 elements followed by cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and bivariate plotting. The new data are compared to previously published INAA and X‐ray fluorescence data. Characterization of 55 obsidian artifacts from archaeological sites located approximately 100 miles from Coso suggests preferential usage of specific subsources as a function of the directionality of travel. The results are consistent with a bimodal (resident and itinerant) model of procurement. This research illustrates the importance of accurate sourcing of obsidian artifacts when attempting to define subsource usage. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.