Archaeological Research Facility

The results of the x-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) here of 148 obsidian artifacts from Late Archaic contexts at Crystal Cave (39LA504), western South Dakota indicates procurement of three major prehistoric obsidian sources in western Wyoming (Obsidian Cliff) and eastern Idaho (Bear Gulch and Malad; see Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 1 and 2 here). These sources are common in Great Plains and Rocky Mountain sites (Hughes 2007; see discussion).