New Developments in Methods for Determining the Origin of Obsidian Using LA-ICP-MS Based on the Open Data of Obsidian Sources

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01128
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03060:Cultural assets study-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: Suda Yoshimitsu 長崎大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (80413920)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 足立 達朗 九州大学, 比較社会文化研究院, 助教 (00582652) ; 及川 穣 島根大学, 学術研究院人文社会科学系, 准教授 (10409435)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 黒曜石 / 文化財 / 蛍光X線分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Traces of global human activity on prehistoric obsidian can be found by determining the origin of stone tools based on elemental analysis, and in recent years, laser-elution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, which is capable of precise rare earth element analysis, is often used for this purpose. The applicants have conducted surveys of obsidian sites in Shinshu, Oki, and other regions, compiled databases of the information obtained, analyzed major and trace elements using wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and identified the origin of lithic tools. In addition, while LA-ICP-MS is becoming an internationally common tool, a database of information on rare earth elements in domestic obsidian sources was opened on the Web, and a new method of origin determination was established using this database.

Free Research Field

文化財科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでに国内の黒曜石原産地の情報を一元的に取りまとめWeb上でオープンデータ化する取り組みはなく，本研究はこれを初めて実現させようとするものである。そして，圧倒的に不足している国内の原産地の希土類元素組成の情報をこのオープンデータに加え，これを利用したLA-ICP-MSによる国内の原産地判別法を新たに確立した。これにより国内の黒曜石が，どのように日本列島を離れ国外へ拡散したのか，国外の黒曜石がどのくらい国内に流入したのか，このようなグローバルな新しい研究展開に貢献することができる。