Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a versatile, minimally-destructive form of atomic emission spectroscopy that has the capability to detect major and trace elements in geomaterials in real-time in a field setting. A large sample suite of obsidian, a black volcanic glass used by Neolithic people to make tools, was analyzed using a commercial, laboratory-based LIBS instrument. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), a multivariate statistical analysis technique, was used to develop models to predict the source of the obsidian used in an artifact on the basis of its geochemical �fingerprint�. Good discrimination by geographic location was obtained but a set of hierarchical models, rather than an all-inclusive model, was found to result in the most accurate provenance determination of obsidian. In-house processing techniques were developed to improve the rate of data processing and the accuracy of PLS-DA predictions.

Provenance determination of obsidian artifacts using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

245th National Meeting (2013)

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