Crossing the Straits: Prehistoric Obsidian Source Exploitation in the North Pacific Rim Edited by Yaroslav V. Kuzmin Michael D. Glascock BAR International Series 2152 2010 Published by Archaeopress Publishers of British Archaeological Reports Gordon House 276 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7ED England
[email protected] www.archaeopress.com BAR S2152 Crossing the Straits: Prehistoric Obsidian Source Exploitation in the North Pacific Rim © Archaeopress and the individual authors 2010 ISBN 978 1 4073 0694 0 Printed in England by Blenheim Colour Ltd All BAR titles are available from: Hadrian Books Ltd 122 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7BP England
[email protected] The current BAR catalogue with details of all titles in print, prices and means of payment is available free from Hadrian Books or may be downloaded from www.archaeopress.com CHAPTER 6 OBSIDIAN PROVENANCE STUDIES ON KAMCHATKA PENINSULA (FAR EASTERN RUSSIA): 2003–9 RESULTS Andrei V. Grebennikov, Vladimir K. Popov, Michael D. Glascock, Robert J. Speakman, Yaroslav V. Kuzmin, and Andrei V. Ptashinsky Abstract: The results of obsidian provenance research on the Kamchatka Peninsula based on extensive study of the chemical composition of volcanic glasses from both ‘geological’ sources and archaeological sites are presented. At least 16 geochemical groups reflecting different sources of obsidian have been identified for Kamchatka using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. Seven sources of archaeological obsidian have been linked to specific geologic outcrops, with the distances between sites and obsidian sources up to 550km. At least seven geochemical groups based only on artefact analysis are also described. The use of multiple obsidian sources was a common pattern during the Palaeolithic, Neolithic, and Palaeometal periods of Kamchatkan prehistory.