Skip to main content
Article
LA-ICP-MS Analysis of Quartzite from the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado
Journal of Archaeological Science
  • Bonnie L. Pitblado
  • Molly Boeka Cannon, Utah State University
  • Hector Neff
  • Carol M. Dehler, Utah State University
  • Stephen T. Nelson
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2013
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract

We report the results of LA-ICP-MS analysis of 402 quartzite samples representing 48 collection loci in the Upper Gunnison Basin (UGB), Colorado and determine the extent to which the sources can be geochemically discriminated from one another using this non-destructive technique. The ability to differentiate among the sources would open the door to provenance studies of the quartzite chipped-stone tools and debitage that constitute 95% or more of most of the 3000-plus prehistoric site assemblages documented in the UGB. Our samples represent prehistorically quarried and non-quarried quartzite sources, including outcrop (primary) and gravel (secondary) deposits. The results reveal spatial and chronological trends in quartzite elemental composition that can be exploited for provenance determinations of quartzite artifacts from UGB sites, albeit using an assemblage-based sourcing strategy that differs from the familiar approach of “matching” obsidian artifacts to their statistically likeliest geological source. We offer a preliminary version of a sourcing protocol for UGB quartzite.

Comments

This is a final accepted manuscript. The published version may be accessed here http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.11.016

The publisher retains the copyright to this work and may require a subscription to access the published version.

Please use publisher's recommended citation.

Citation Information
Pitblado, B.L., Cannon, M.B., Neff, H., Dehler, C.M., Nelson, S.T., LA-ICPMS Analysis of Quartzite from the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, Journal of Archaeological Science (2013), doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2012.11.016.