Michael D. Glascock

Archaeological excavations conducted at various times in south-western Georgia have revealed stone age sites, with a notable colle­ction of flint and obsidian. However, the precise origins of obsi­dian remain ambiguous. In recent years, Georgian and USA resear­chers have published noteworthy works connected to origins of obsi­dian artefacts (Chkhatarashvili, Glascock 2022; Chkhatarashvili et al., 2024a,b; Chkhatarashvili et al., 2025a,b). This work present the results of geochemical analyses conducted on obsidian artefacts disc­overed at the Neolithic sites of Anaseuli I-II. The research was carried out using the XRF method at the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Reactor Research (MURR). The analysis iden­tified two different sources of obsidian supply, which once again ind­ic­ates that the Caucasus region has been an active zone of human mobility and contact since ancient times.

Archaeological excavations conducted at various times along the southeastern Black Sea coast (Ajara) have revealed stone age sites, with a notable collection of flint and obsidian. However, the precise origins of obsidian remain ambiguous. In recent years, Georgian and USA researchers have published noteworthy works connected to origins of obsidian artefacts [Chkhatarashvili, Glascock 2022; Chkhatarashvili et all. 2024a; Chkhatarashvili et all. 2024b]. This work present the results of geochemical analyses conducted on obsidian artefacts discovered at the sites of Kvirike, Jikhanjuri, and Choloki, located within the Kobuleti municipality. The research was carried out using the XRF method at the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Reactor Research (MURR). The analysis identified four different sources of obsidian supply, which once again indicates that the Caucasus region has been an active zone of human mobility and contact since ancient times.

The Ajara region holds a significant position on Georgia’s prehistoric territory, boasting important archaeological sites discovered through field excavations along the Black Sea coastline. Recent interdisciplinary research in the villages of Kobuleti and Khutsubani has provided deeper insights into the living conditions, mobility, and primary activities of ancient inhabitants. Particularly noteworthy is the establishment of a series of absolute dates, which addressed a crucial gap in the chronology of Georgia’s prehistoric archaeological sites. As a result of collaborative research efforts involving Georgian and international experts, a comprehensive study of the Khutsubani population was conducted, marking the first such investigation since 1968. This paper presents the overarching conclusions drawn from their collective research endeavors.

En este trabajo se presenta la caracterización distribucional del registro lítico de superficie de la localidad Barrancas-Buta Ranquil (Neuquén), noroeste de Patagonia, Argentina. En particular, se exponen los resultados de los análisis tecnomorfológicos y arqueométricos que dan cuenta del uso de la obsidiana local (Cerro Huenul y Laguna del Maule 2-Río Barrancas), accesible en toda el área, para la manufactura de artefactos. Además, se registra el uso de obsidiana no local (Laguna del Maule 1-Laguna Negra), mayormente sobre artefactos formatizados. En cambio, rocas silíceas y basalto se emplearon en menor proporción, especialmente en instrumentos vinculados a actividades de procesamiento que requieren de estadías de mayor permanencia. De este modo, las evidencias distribucionales y arqueométricas permitieron dar cuenta de una gran movilidad logística y de distintas formas de uso humano del espacio dentro de la región de estudio.

En este trabajo se analiza la iconografía de dos cilindros efigie duplicados mayas hallados en cuevas y abrigos rocosos de Laguna Pethá, municipio de Ocosingo, Chiapas. A través de un análisis comparativo nosotros tentativamente identificamos un nuevo estilo regional maya asociado a la presencia de aletas en cilindros de cerámica vinculados a Toniná en el valle de Ocosingo. Sus características iconográficas sitúan a estas piezas próximas al periodo Posclásico Tardío y el Colonial Temprano. Adicionalmente, la aplicación de arqueometría —específicamente de Espectrometría de Masas con Plasma Acoplado Inductivamente (emp ai) y Activación Neutrónica Instrumental (ani)— indican que los dos cilindros fueron hechos al mismo tiempo y con la misma arcilla. Los resultados demuestran su autenticidad y su posible producción local por manos de un mismo artesano o taller cerámico en Laguna Pethá o cerca del valle de Ocosingo.