Particle‐induced X‐ray emission (PIXE) analysis of obsidian from Teotihuacan

J Gazzola, MS Del R�o, C Sol�s, T Calligaro�- Archaeometry, 2010 - Wiley Online Library
Archaeometry, 2010Wiley Online Library
A collection of 50 archaeological obsidian samples studied in the framework of the
Preciudadela Project (Teotihuacan, Mexico) has been analysed using particle‐induced X‐
ray emission (PIXE) with the external beam line of the Acc�l�rateur Grand Louvre d'Analyse
El�mentaire facility (C2RMF, Paris) and of the Instituto de F�sica (UNAM, Mexico). This work
addresses the provenance of these obsidian samples, with the purpose of determining if
they come from the obsidian sources exploited by Teotihuacans (mainly Otumba and Sierra�…
A collection of 50 archaeological obsidian samples studied in the framework of the Preciudadela Project (Teotihuacan, Mexico) has been analysed using particle‐induced X‐ray emission (PIXE) with the external beam line of the Acc�l�rateur Grand Louvre d'Analyse El�mentaire facility (C2RMF, Paris) and of the Instituto de F�sica (UNAM, Mexico). This work addresses the provenance of these obsidian samples, with the purpose of determining if they come from the obsidian sources exploited by Teotihuacans (mainly Otumba and Sierra de Pachuca), from other sources, or arrived via commercial exchanges with other regions. For that, the elemental compositions derived from the PIXE spectra have been compared with data published in the literature on the basis of instrumental neutron activation analysis. From the concentrations of selected key elements (Na, K, Mn, Fe, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr), it was possible to unambiguously assign the provenance of most samples. Many originate from two major sources, namely Sierra de Pachuca (Hidalgo) and Otumba (Mexico), which were the main obsidian deposits used by the Teotihuacans. However, some samples exhibit a compositional fingerprint matching other provenances, i.e., Pared�n (Puebla) and Zacualtipan (Hidalgo).
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