TECHNOLOGICAL EXPLORATION AND RITUAL USE OF OBSIDIAN IN ANCIENT CULTURES OF THE PACIFIC

Abstract

The article examines a range of directions and current stage of obsidian studies within the Pacifi c basin such as (1) geochemistry, identifi cation of volcanic glass sources used in ancient cultures; (2) technology, obsidian exploration methods, their evolution, as well as experiments, and (3) cultural context, the use of obsidian in ritual practice, in the format of prestigious technologies, and in decorative art. While the geochemical studies have reached signifi cant progress within the Pacifi c basin two other directions obviously require further development. Experimental works, conducted in 2020–2021 in Primorye, allow making useful observations both about the peculiarities of the local raw material base and about the behavioral side of the knapping process (such as the process of teaching and learning of knappers’ competencies). In tu rn, the study of cultural meaning of obsidian includes not only the interpretation of the archaeological artifacts of high quality from the burials and caches (ritual, prestige, nonutilitarian), but also addressing to the ownership of the raw material sources, trade/ exchange mechanism, and the status of the highly - skillful knappers in ancient and traditional societies.

Keywords

• pacific
• paleolithic
• neolithic
• obsidian
• exploration
• prestige technologies
• experiments
• behavior