Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) characterization of pre-contact basalt quarries on the American Samoan Island of Tutuila
Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis presents a material-centered characterization of 120 geologic samples\nfrom four fine-grained basalt quarries on the Samoan Island of Tutuila. Previous\nunsuccessful attempts at definitive Tutuilan quarry differentiation have utilized x-ray\nfluorescence (XRF). In this study, clear differentiation of each analyzed quarry was\nachieved using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Biplots of canonical\ndiscriminant function scores for the INAA data illustrate clear separation based on the\nvariation in chemical composition between each quarry. The samples analyzed not only\ndefine quarry separation, but also provide the "core group" for a preliminary baseline\nnecessary for future artifact-centered provenance studies. Inclusion of these "core group"\nsamples in the baseline was confirmed by stepwise discriminant analysis. These findings\nsuggest the ability to determine quarry of origin on the island of Tutuila, which can\nelucidate the importance of individual Tutuilan quarries in the export and exchange of\nfine-grained basalts.
Author: Phillip R. Johnson
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology (arts and humanities)
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2889477056