Volcán las Navajas: The chemical characterization and usage of a West Mexican obsidian source in the Aztatlán tradition

Abstract

In this report, I have detailed the chemistry and usage of the Volcán las Navajas source in Western Mexico. This source, located 18km from the capital city of Tepic, Nayarit, was only recently identified in the literature in 2010. Here, I have reanalyzed this source using pXRF to define its chemistry and confirm the previous identification of two chemically distinct subsources. I have then identified the usage patterns at four Postclassic Aztatlán centers. Considering large assemblages from Coamiles, Chacalilla, San Felipe Aztatán, and Amapa, I have determined that this source was seemingly one of the most important sources utilized by the Aztatlán people. However, it has been utilized in specific ways. Despite large cobble size, abundance, high quality, and proximity, it is clear that Volcán las Navajas was preferred for generalized reduction while more distant sources were preferred for prismatic blades.