"Identifying Sources of Prehistoric Turquoise in North America: Problem" by Frances Joan Mathien

Article Title

Identifying Sources of Prehistoric Turquoise in North America: Problems and Implications for Interpreting Social Organization

Authors

Frances Joan Mathien

First Page

ISSN

0843-5499

Last Page

Abstract

Well-made turquoise beads are rare in North American archaeological sites, and the prehistoric sources of turquoise are limited. Mining the turquoise, manufacturing the bead, and using it as part of a bracelet or necklace involve numerous human interactions to transport the raw material from its source to the place where it is finally found in an archaeological context. Accurate identification of turquoise sources affects our interpretation of prehistoric behavior and is the focus of this paper.

Publisher Information

The Society of Bead Researchers is a non-profit scientific-educational corporation founded in 1981 to foster historical, archaeological, and material cultural research on beads and beadwork of all materials and periods, and to expedite the dissemination of the resultant knowledge. Membership is open to all persons involved in the study of beads, as well as those interested in keeping abreast of current trends in bead research.

Repository Citation

Mathien, Frances Joan (2000). "Identifying Sources of Prehistoric Turquoise in North America: Problems and Implications for Interpreting Social Organization." BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers 12: 17-37. Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/beads/vol12/iss1/6

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COinS

BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers