Obsidian scalpel are they still used today

Obsidian tools found in Ethiopia might be as old as 180,000 years. Radiocarbon dating suggests that the tools may be as old as 10,000 years. In the Americas, obsidian tools found at the site of Santa Isabel Ixtapan, Mexico, have been associated with a mammoth skeleton. Obsidian tools offer archaeologists a wealth of information on ancient technologies, economies and even religious practices.

They are also learning surprising new things about how water diffuses into glass, which could be important to emerging waste management technologies. The group, consisting of Lee Riciputi, Larry Anovitz and Dave Cole of the Chemical and Analytical Sciences Division and the UT Anthropology DepartmentвЂ™s Mike Elam, report encouraging results with their technique, called ODDSIMS, for obsidian diffusion dating by SIMS. Now the team of scientists-using secondary ionization mass spectrometry (SIMS), experimental calibration and sophisticated modeling methods-is closing in on a technique to accurately tell scientists when an obsidian tool was crafted. Unfortunately, developing a reliable method of interpreting the вЂњobsidian clockвЂќ has defied all previous efforts. In modern times, obsidian has even been used for surgical scalpel blades. Spanish conquistadors learned, to their annoyance, that a single blow from a good Aztec obsidian-edged sword could behead a horse. Prehistoric arrowheads, knives and spear points in many parts of the world, including Mexico and Central America, were made of obsidian flaked into very sharp cutting tools. Several ORNL and University of Tennessee researchers are developing an analytical method for obsidian that has the potential of ensuring a precise means of dating archaeological sites.

Determining the age of the objects they left behind has always been a challenge for archaeologists. O bsidian-volcanic glass-was a material of choice for prehistoric tool and weapon makers. ORNL method chips away barriers to dating prehistoric human artifacts

Obsidian scalpel are they still used today