Classic Period Hohokam Obsidian Studies in Southern Arizona.

During the last decade a number of obsidian studies have been conducted on Classic-period Hohokam artifactsfrom sites in southern Arizona. The geological and cultural settings of this region make it an ideal area for the study of raw material acquisition and distribution networks. The technique of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry has been used as an inexpensive means to characterize sources and artifacts. This paper discusses the results of obsidian studies conducted on nine sites or site complexes within the Hohokam area. The dominant pattern of raw material procurement appears to be one of proximity, where the most commonly found obsidian on the site was usually obtained from the closest source. Procurement strategies indicate that obsidian procurement may have been secondary or parallel to the acquisition of other primary resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]