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McMaster Obsidian Procurement Expedition (MOPE)

Establishing A Geological Framework For Obsidian Analysis

A fundamental aspect of any characterization laboratory is the establishment of a comprehensive reference collection of relevant source materials, essential for accurately matching the elemental fingerprints of archaeological artifacts.

Given that much of our research focuses on the analysis of prehistoric obsidian artifacts from the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East, it was a natural step to develop a collection sourced from the primary obsidian deposits of the Aegean and Anatolia.

Fieldwork In Greece And Turkey

Supported by a SSHRC grant, our team conducted fieldwork in Greece and Turkey during the summers of 2010 and 2011, collecting geo-referenced geological samples essential for our research. In Turkey, this effort was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from Van University – Drs. Onur Köse, Mustafa Açlan, and Sinan Kilic – while in Greece, we operated independently with permission from the Institute of Geological and Mining Exploration (IGME).

Additionally, portions of our reference collection have been generously contributed by esteemed colleagues, including Katsuji Kobayashi of the University of Melbourne and Dr. François-Xavier Le Bourdonnec of the University of Bordeaux 3. These contributions have significantly enhanced our ability to analyze obsidian sources from the Aegean and Anatolia, strengthening the precision of our elemental fingerprinting methods.

Mesoamerican Research At MAX Lab

Mesoamerica represents a key focus of research at MAX Lab, particularly through our study of the Minanha assemblage from Belize.

This material has been made available through the generous contributions of Prof. Mike Glascock of the University of Missouri (MURR) and Dr. Denisse Argote of the Institute of Geology at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, further enhancing our ability to investigate the complex trade networks and technological innovations of ancient Mesoamerican societies.