Geochemical and petrographic approaches to chert tool provenance studies: evidence from two western USA Holocene archaeological sites

Abstract

AbstractChert (flint, jasper and agate) from a late Holocene site in Elko, northern Nevada, USA, and a Mid-Holocene site east of Seattle, Washington, USA, represents a wide range of geological source environments for microcrystalline polymorphs of quartz. Potential chert source material and lithic artefacts from these two archaeological sites are utilized to develop laboratory approaches to provenance studies. Chert paragenesis determined by petrographic analysis and geochemical cluster fingerprinting using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and ICP-mass spectrometry analyses accompanied by scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis provides compelling source to artefact correlations.