Mark C Rupert
The Atlas of Oregon Obsidian Sources
The idea for this suite of maps emerged from my interest in the timeline of human occupation of the Americas, and the archaeological evidence of extensive trade networks among disparate goups of people that existed for generations prior to the arrival of the first Europeans.
The aim of these maps is to provide a geographical context for known sources of obsidian tool stone in Oregon by locating earch source on a topographic map that can be used for navigation during field work for archaeological surveys and collection of stone for my growing flint knapping practice.
When viewed in conjunction with my map series depicting "High Probability Search Areas for Paleolithic Occupation Sites" and other data pertaining to the early peopling of Oregon, one can begin to understand the relationship between early people, the land and the resources that were available.
Thanks to the generous folks who operate the Northwest Research Obsidian Studies Lab who made their data available to the general public, I was able to build these maps using location data from the published archaeological record.
