Canyon Creek revisited: New investigations of a late prehispanic turquoise mine, Arizona, USA

Was Aztec and Mixtec turquoise mined in the American Southwest?

“… The Southwestern turquoise deposits shown here are discussed in the study of Thibodeau et al . ( 8 ) and have been previously characterized with Pb and Sr isotopic ratios ( 8 , 31 , 33 ). No isotopic data are available on turquoise deposits of the Concepción del Oro or Mazapil localities.…”

“…Presently, there are Pb and Sr isotopic measurements of both geological and archaeological samples of turquoise from the Southwest that provide a baseline for evaluating whether Aztec or Mixtec artifacts have a Southwestern origin ( 8 , 31 – 33 ). These measurements include Pb and Sr isotopic ratios on >150 geological samples of turquoise from 19 different mining districts across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, southeastern California, and southern Nevada in the United States, and in northern Sonora, Mexico ( 8 , 31 ). Many of the geological samples derive from mining districts with known prehispanic mining activity.…”

“…Sonora, Mexico (8,31). Many of the geological samples derive from mining districts with known prehispanic mining activity.…”

A method to characterize turquoise deposits in china using sedimentary environment sensitive elements

“…In order to understand the acquisition and exchange of turquoise among pre-historical societies, a reliable, quantitative method for linking turquoise artifacts to their geological sources is needed. Although the analysis of Pb and Sr isotopes has been used to successfully traces turquoise sources and networks in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico [5][6][7], but this technique has not satisfactorily differentiated among turquoise deposits in China. Hull et al [8][9][10] used the isotope ratio of hydrogen and copper to characterize turquoise deposits in the United States and Mexico.…”