This paper aims to evaluate the optical properties of natural rhyolite obsidians that might be useful in the identification of different sources of archaeological samples. Even though colour, degree of alteration, crystaloclast composition and texture are important properties by which sources can be identified, all of these features do not always lead to an unambiguous distinction. In this regard, the refractive index (ND) becomes a helpful tool because it is not only sensitive to the chemical composition of natural glasses but also to their different thermal histories. Obsidians from six localities of Patagonia were analysed. Their refractive index measurements (ND) only range between 1.47 and 1.49, but the ND values of some of these sources are sufficiently constrained to allow discrimination between them. © 2013 University of Oxford.
Documento: | Artículo |
Título: | Determining the Provenance of Obsidian in Southern Patagonia Using Optical Properties |
Autor: | Fernández, M.V.; Leal, P.R. |
Filiación: | CONICET-Instituto de Arqueología Facultad de Filosofía y Letras Universidad de Buenos Aires 25 de Mayo 217, 3 piso 1002 Buenos Aires Argentina IGEBA-Departamento de Geología Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad de Buenos Aires Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires Argentina |
Idioma: | Inglés |
Palabras clave: | Obsidian; Optical properties; Patagonia; Refractive indices |
Año: | 2013 |
DOI: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12059 |
Título revista: | Archaeometry |
Título revista abreviado: | Archaeometry |
ISSN: | 0003813X |
Registro: | https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_0003813X_v_n_p_Fernandez |