Premium
Homogeneity of water content in obsidian from the coso volcanic field: Implications for obsidian hydration dating
Author(s) -
Stevenson Christopher M.,
Knaus Elizabeth,
Mazer James J.,
Bates John K.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
geoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1520-6548
pISSN - 0883-6353
DOI - 10.1002/gea.3340080503
Subject(s) - volcano , geology , mineralogy , homogeneity (statistics) , geochemistry , volcanic glass , water content , prehistory , hydrate , archaeology , volcanic rock , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , geography , paleontology , statistics , mathematics , organic chemistry
Users of the obsidian hydration dating method have routinely assumed that artifacts which originate from the same geological flow will be of the same chemical composition and thus hydrate at the same rate under equivalent conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Recent laboratory experimentation into the hydration process has shown that the intrinsic water content of the glass is the dominant factor in establishing the rate of hydration. Water content determinations on a large suite of samples from numerous prehistoric quarries within the Coso volcanic field, California, indicated that water content values, and thus hydration rate, varied significantly on a within flow basis. It is recommended that water determinations be made on individual artifacts prior to obsidian hydration dating. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.