ANTH 308 - Obsidian Rocks! A Natural and Social History

Today, most people have little if any relationship to the dark, black, brittle volcanic glass we know as obsidian. But from early Neolithic farmers trading throughout the Mediterranean, to Maya priests conducting ritual sacrifices, to Polynesian explorers sailing across the Pacific, obsidian can tell us about the daily lives, practices, technologies, and relationships of ancient peoples. For much of human antiquity, obsidian was prized not only for its sharpness, but also for its distinct physical properties. Its translucency, color, and shimmer have made an aesthetically pleasing material as well, with obsidian used as often for elaborate figurines, mirrors, and weapons as used for tools. Moreover, the volcanic conditions necessary to create obsidian make it a scarce resource in many regions of the world, and therefore traded for over great distances. The various uses and cultural connotations of obsidian persist up to the present day, whether in its use in jewelry, in surgical tools, or in popular media (as dragonglass in Game of Thrones). This course examines the history of this unique material, its many uses, its cultural and symbolic meanings, and the ways in which archaeologists study it today. In investigating the natural and social history of obsidian, this course will not only draw on scientific articles and archaeological reports, but also include hands-on tutorials in obsidian knapping, chemical sourcing, artifact illustration, and quantitative and qualitative lithic analyses. By analyzing obsidian firsthand, students will learn the diversity of approaches that archaeologists employ to understand the use, function, history, and meaning of ancient materials.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group II
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 201 or ANTH 211
Instructional Method: Conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Notes: This course applies to the department’s SETS concentration.
Not offered: 2023-24
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Evaluate data and/or sources.
Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.