Fred W Nelson
Biographic Data
| ID | 166285 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Fred W Nelson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Fred W |
| FAMILY NAME | Nelson |
| SIGNATURE | NELSON F W |
| AFFILIATIONS | Brigham Young University |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 107 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 11 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1975 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
Mesoamerica's Formative Scholar
The challenge in summing up the active life and productive career of any famous person is to put the important facts on record while steering a respectful path between hagiography and recitation of his curriculum vitae. We attempt to do this for our esteemed colleague and mentor, one of Mesoamerica's last originals, Gareth W. Lowe (Figure 1). With his death on March 8, 2004, in Tucson, Arizona, at age 82, Gareth left behind a legacy that reaches …
New Data on Sources of Obsidian Artifacts from Tikal, Guatemala
In 1984, 29 obsidian artifacts and an unworked nodule from Tikal were attributed to source by visual means and then analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). We conclude that the considerable within-source optical variability of gray Mesoamerican obsidians makes visual sourcing unreliable at present, although a corpus of descriptions of the optical characteristics of obsidian may eventually provide a way to exclude possible sources. The XRF analysis …
New Mexico Obsidian Sources and Exchange on the Southern Plains
This paper presents the results of analysis of samples from 14 geologic sources of obsidian in New, Mexico. Once this was accomplished, 26 obsidian artifacts from archaeological sites in Oklahoma and New Mexico were analyzed and their compositions compared to those from various Western sources. The artifact data have been combined with the results of analysis of 87 other obsidian artifacts from Oklahoma, west Texas, and New Mexico that had been p…
New Findings On Obsidian Source Utilization In Iowa
In a recent paper summarizing the pre historic distribution of obsidian in Iowa, Ander son et al. (1986) show that the majority of this material was imported from quarry sources in the vicinity of Obsidian Cliff, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The trace element compositions of eight of the 31 specimens in their sample, however, did not match any of the known parent obsidian sources in the local inventory. Specifically, they identified three …
More Source Analyses of Obsidian from Tikal, Guatemala
In 1984, 29 obsidian artifacts and an unworked nodule were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence in order to determine the source of the raw material. The results of analysis confirmed the succession of Highland Guatemalan sources utilized by the Maya previously proposed by Nelson and also revealed the presence of obsidian from two additional Central Mexican sources, bringing the total of Mexican sources to six. At present only the Pachuca and Otumba so…
Recent Research on Obsidian from Iowa Archaeological Sites
In this paper we summarize the results of six years of passive obsidian collecting in Iowa during which time 31 samples were obtained and subjected to trace element analysis. We find that: (1) 74% of the obsidian originated at the Obsidian Cliff Quarry in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; and (2) in contrast with earlier midwestern studies where obsidian was found in ritual contexts on Middle Woodland sites, the Iowa material is associated with…
El Bálsamo Residential Investigations
Trace Element Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts from Three Shell Midden Sites in the Littoral Zone, Chiapas, Mexico
Forty-two obsidian artifacts from the Chantuto Zone, Chiapas, Mexico, have been analyzed by neutron activation analysis, and fifteen artifacts were reanalyzed using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. These artifacts date to the Chantuto phase (3000-2000 B.C.), late in the Archaic period, and to a later period or periods. These analyses have made it possible to compare the two methods of analysis and also have made it possible to assign an obsidian …
Preliminary Studies of the Trace Element Composition of Obsidian Artifacts from Northern Campeche, Mexico
Obsidian artifacts from Edzna, Dzibilnocac, and Santa Rosa Xtampak in northern Campeche, Mexico, have been analyzed by means of X-ray fluorescence in order to determine their trace element composition. The results are compared to the trace element composition of obsidian sources in Guatemala and Mexico. It is postulated that the obsidian from the three sites in northern Campeche came from highland Guatemala, mostly from El Chayal. Our data are co…
A Simple Method for Distinguishing between Organic and Inorganic Paints on Black-on-White Anasazi Pottery
It is often very difficult to distinguish organic paint from inorganic paint (iron oxides) on Black-on-white Anasazi pottery. However, the paints can be distinguished by testing for iron using potassium ferrocyanide in the presence of hydrochloric acid. If iron is present a dark blue precipitate forms immediately
New Mexico Obsidian Sources and Exchange on the Southern Plains
New Mexico Obsidian Sources and Exchange on the Southern Plains
This paper presents the results of analysis of samples from 14 geologic sources of obsidian in New, Mexico. Once this was accomplished, 26 obsidian artifacts from archaeological sites in Oklahoma and New Mexico were analyzed and their compositions compared to those from various Western sources. The artifact data have been combined with the results of analysis of 87 other obsidian artifacts from Oklahoma, west Texas, and New Mexico that had been p…
New Data on Sources of Obsidian Artifacts from Tikal, Guatemala
In 1984, 29 obsidian artifacts and an unworked nodule from Tikal were attributed to source by visual means and then analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). We conclude that the considerable within-source optical variability of gray Mesoamerican obsidians makes visual sourcing unreliable at present, although a corpus of descriptions of the optical characteristics of obsidian may eventually provide a way to exclude possible sources. The XRF analysis …
New Findings On Obsidian Source Utilization In Iowa
In a recent paper summarizing the pre historic distribution of obsidian in Iowa, Ander son et al. (1986) show that the majority of this material was imported from quarry sources in the vicinity of Obsidian Cliff, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The trace element compositions of eight of the 31 specimens in their sample, however, did not match any of the known parent obsidian sources in the local inventory. Specifically, they identified three …
Preliminary Studies of the Trace Element Composition of Obsidian Artifacts from Northern Campeche, Mexico
Obsidian artifacts from Edzna, Dzibilnocac, and Santa Rosa Xtampak in northern Campeche, Mexico, have been analyzed by means of X-ray fluorescence in order to determine their trace element composition. The results are compared to the trace element composition of obsidian sources in Guatemala and Mexico. It is postulated that the obsidian from the three sites in northern Campeche came from highland Guatemala, mostly from El Chayal. Our data are co…
Recent Research on Obsidian from Iowa Archaeological Sites
In this paper we summarize the results of six years of passive obsidian collecting in Iowa during which time 31 samples were obtained and subjected to trace element analysis. We find that: (1) 74% of the obsidian originated at the Obsidian Cliff Quarry in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; and (2) in contrast with earlier midwestern studies where obsidian was found in ritual contexts on Middle Woodland sites, the Iowa material is associated with…
Trace Element Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts from Three Shell Midden Sites in the Littoral Zone, Chiapas, Mexico
Forty-two obsidian artifacts from the Chantuto Zone, Chiapas, Mexico, have been analyzed by neutron activation analysis, and fifteen artifacts were reanalyzed using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. These artifacts date to the Chantuto phase (3000-2000 B.C.), late in the Archaic period, and to a later period or periods. These analyses have made it possible to compare the two methods of analysis and also have made it possible to assign an obsidian …
El Bálsamo Residential Investigations
New Mexico Obsidian Sources and Exchange on the Southern Plains
More Source Analyses of Obsidian from Tikal, Guatemala
In 1984, 29 obsidian artifacts and an unworked nodule were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence in order to determine the source of the raw material. The results of analysis confirmed the succession of Highland Guatemalan sources utilized by the Maya previously proposed by Nelson and also revealed the presence of obsidian from two additional Central Mexican sources, bringing the total of Mexican sources to six. At present only the Pachuca and Otumba so…
A Simple Method for Distinguishing between Organic and Inorganic Paints on Black-on-White Anasazi Pottery
It is often very difficult to distinguish organic paint from inorganic paint (iron oxides) on Black-on-white Anasazi pottery. However, the paints can be distinguished by testing for iron using potassium ferrocyanide in the presence of hydrochloric acid. If iron is present a dark blue precipitate forms immediately
A Simple Method for Distinguishing between Organic and Inorganic Paints on Black-on-White Anasazi Pottery
It is often very difficult to distinguish organic paint from inorganic paint (iron oxides) on Black-on-white Anasazi pottery. However, the paints can be distinguished by testing for iron using potassium ferrocyanide in the presence of hydrochloric acid. If iron is present a dark blue precipitate forms immediately
Preliminary Studies of the Trace Element Composition of Obsidian Artifacts from Northern Campeche, Mexico
Obsidian artifacts from Edzna, Dzibilnocac, and Santa Rosa Xtampak in northern Campeche, Mexico, have been analyzed by means of X-ray fluorescence in order to determine their trace element composition. The results are compared to the trace element composition of obsidian sources in Guatemala and Mexico. It is postulated that the obsidian from the three sites in northern Campeche came from highland Guatemala, mostly from El Chayal. Our data are co…
Trace Element Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts from Three Shell Midden Sites in the Littoral Zone, Chiapas, Mexico
Forty-two obsidian artifacts from the Chantuto Zone, Chiapas, Mexico, have been analyzed by neutron activation analysis, and fifteen artifacts were reanalyzed using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. These artifacts date to the Chantuto phase (3000-2000 B.C.), late in the Archaic period, and to a later period or periods. These analyses have made it possible to compare the two methods of analysis and also have made it possible to assign an obsidian …
El Bálsamo Residential Investigations
Recent Research on Obsidian from Iowa Archaeological Sites
In this paper we summarize the results of six years of passive obsidian collecting in Iowa during which time 31 samples were obtained and subjected to trace element analysis. We find that: (1) 74% of the obsidian originated at the Obsidian Cliff Quarry in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; and (2) in contrast with earlier midwestern studies where obsidian was found in ritual contexts on Middle Woodland sites, the Iowa material is associated with…
New Mexico Obsidian Sources and Exchange on the Southern Plains
This paper presents the results of analysis of samples from 14 geologic sources of obsidian in New, Mexico. Once this was accomplished, 26 obsidian artifacts from archaeological sites in Oklahoma and New Mexico were analyzed and their compositions compared to those from various Western sources. The artifact data have been combined with the results of analysis of 87 other obsidian artifacts from Oklahoma, west Texas, and New Mexico that had been p…
New Findings On Obsidian Source Utilization In Iowa
In a recent paper summarizing the pre historic distribution of obsidian in Iowa, Ander son et al. (1986) show that the majority of this material was imported from quarry sources in the vicinity of Obsidian Cliff, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The trace element compositions of eight of the 31 specimens in their sample, however, did not match any of the known parent obsidian sources in the local inventory. Specifically, they identified three …
More Source Analyses of Obsidian from Tikal, Guatemala
In 1984, 29 obsidian artifacts and an unworked nodule were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence in order to determine the source of the raw material. The results of analysis confirmed the succession of Highland Guatemalan sources utilized by the Maya previously proposed by Nelson and also revealed the presence of obsidian from two additional Central Mexican sources, bringing the total of Mexican sources to six. At present only the Pachuca and Otumba so…
New Data on Sources of Obsidian Artifacts from Tikal, Guatemala
In 1984, 29 obsidian artifacts and an unworked nodule from Tikal were attributed to source by visual means and then analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). We conclude that the considerable within-source optical variability of gray Mesoamerican obsidians makes visual sourcing unreliable at present, although a corpus of descriptions of the optical characteristics of obsidian may eventually provide a way to exclude possible sources. The XRF analysis …
Mesoamerica's Formative Scholar
The challenge in summing up the active life and productive career of any famous person is to put the important facts on record while steering a respectful path between hagiography and recitation of his curriculum vitae. We attempt to do this for our esteemed colleague and mentor, one of Mesoamerica's last originals, Gareth W. Lowe (Figure 1). With his death on March 8, 2004, in Tucson, Arizona, at age 82, Gareth left behind a legacy that reaches …
New Mexico Obsidian Sources and Exchange on the Southern Plains
Archaeology (10 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (8 works) · Geography (8 works) · Geology (8 works) · Archaeology and Natural History (7 works) · Geology (6 works) · Latin American history and culture (5 works) · History (4 works) · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology (4 works) · Computer Science (3 works)