USFS Tasks GeomorphIS to Conduct Obsidian Source Studies for Klamath National Forest, California

The USDA Forest Service, Klamath National Forest, tasked the GeomorphIS/Far Western team to conduct obsidian source studies. The Obsidian Source Hydrate 2021 project proposes two types of scientific analysis (sourcing and hydration) for obsidian samples from US Forest Service lands in Siskiyou County, CA. The GeomorphIS team will conduct obsidian geochemical sourcing to industry standards on 360 obsidian samples (cultural and natural) and obsidian hydration on 150 samples (cultural) provided by the Klamath National Forest. The Forest will submit the artifacts to the GeomorphIS team in two phases; phase one to be submitted in fall of 2021, phase two to be submitted to by August 31, 2022. The GeomorphIS team will subject the artifacts to both source analysis and hydration analysis or just source analysis. Source analysis will be completed using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). Individual sources within the Medicine Lake Highlands (MLH) will be delineated, not grouped. Hydration analysis will include hydration band measurements and measurement means needed to date the artifacts.