Chemical Compositions of Obsidian in Japan -An Approach to Archaeological Provenience Studies

本文介绍了日本地质源黑曜岩的化学成分特征研究结果（常量和微量元素的浓度）作为考古学研究的一种科学方法来鉴定来源。仪器中子活化分析（INAA）本文对北海道、本州、冲绳、通过能量色散X射线荧光（EDXRF）分析，这是一种完全无损的方法，确定了主要的组成元素。因此，来自地质来源和人工制品的黑曜石样品被安装在样品台上，而不进行任何处理。（因子分析，聚类分析）本文以12种微量元素的含量为变量，对370个地质源黑曜石样品进行了分类，并对不同产地的地质露头进行了分类，用中子活化分析（INAA）方法测定了黑曜石制品中12种微量元素的含量，可以作为“指纹”，将这些文物与黑曜石的地质来源相匹配。因此，聚类分析的每一个黑曜石文物从各个网站的史前时代（前陶瓷时代和绳文时代）在日本连同地质源黑曜石的50个地点进行。黑曜石文物的来源已经成功实现。

This report presents the research results of the characterization of geological source obsidian in Japan on the basis of the chemical compositions (concentrations of major and trace elements) as a scientific approach to the archaeological studies in the identification of provenience.Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to determine 15 trace elements in 370 samples of obsidian from geological outcrops of 50 localities in Hokkaido, Honshu, Okinawa, and northern Kyushu.The principal constituent elements were determined by the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis, which is entirely nondestructive method. Thus, the samples of obsidian from geological sources and artifacts were mounted on the sample stage without any processing.On the basis of the multivariate analyses, (factor analysis, cluster analysis) using concentrations of 12 trace elements as variables 370 samples of geological source obsidian have been classified into the geological outcrops of localities.The concentrations of 12 trace elements measured in obsidian artifacts by INAA can be used as "fingerprint" to match the artifacts to geological sources of obsidian. Thus, the cluster analysis of each of obsidian artifacts from various sites of Prehistoric age (the Preceramic period and the Jomon period) in Japan together with the geological source obsidian of 50 localities was carried out. The sourcing of the obsidian artifacts has been achieved successfully.