Isotopic Tracing of Prehistoric Rio Grande Glaze-Paint Production and Trade (original) (raw)

2000, Journal of archaeological …

Stable lead isotope analyses, using high resolution inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), accurately traced the origin of lead ores used in the production of ceramic glaze-paints by prehistoric Pueblo potters in the American Southwest. The analyses show that, despite the availability of other local sources, most potters in north-central New Mexico during the fifteenth century obtained lead from the Cerrillos Hills. These results suggest that certain strategically-located communities may have controlled the distribution of lead within the region. Thus, lead isotope analysis proved an effective technique for examining prehistoric patterns of resource utilisation, production, and exchange.