Laboratory analysis of archaeological artifacts using X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry.

All three artifacts were produced from Valles Rhyolite (Cerro del Medio) or El Rechuelos Rhyolite obsidian in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico

Laboratory analysis of archaeological artifacts using X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry.

Laboratory analysis of archaeological artifacts using X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry.

The analysis here of 132 artifacts from eight sites in Inyo County within the China Lake Naval Weapons Station indicates a relatively diverse provenance assemblage dominated by West Sugarloaf dome obsidian in the Coso Volcanic Field, as in all the previous studies by this laboratory, and all the artifacts were produced entirely from Coso Volcanic Field sources, Sugarloaf, West Sugarloaf, and West Cactus Peak domes (see discussion below). No sources outside the Coso field were present.

Laboratory analysis of archaeological artifacts using X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry.

Laboratory analysis of archaeological artifacts using X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry.

The analysis here ofone obsidian flake and one turquoise bead indicates that the obsidian artifact was produced from the Vulture source west of the Phoenix Basin, commonly recovered in Preclassic Hohokam contexts in the Lower Salt River Valley (Shackley 2005, 2019; Table 1 herein). A short discussion of the turquoise bead is offered belowas well.