Mt. Shasta Gem Volcanic Glass and Obsidian Clovis Story Stone Faces and Mammoth Effigies

Описание: XRF Testing of "Andara" Volcanic Glass Paleolithic Effigy Artifacts

Since I’ve been sharing information about Volcanic Glass, I thought it might be of interest to present the original XRF (X-ray Fluorescence) test results from February 2022. This first round of testing was conducted by geologist Rick Shaw and his Professor at the Geology Laboratory of Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.

Three samples of Volcanic Glass were tested: one yellow, one blue, and one green. A fourth sample—an uncleaned version of one of the original three—was also analyzed. All three cleaned samples were Paleolithic Story Stone Effigy Artifacts. The XRF printout reveals both the elemental composition and the relative abundance of each element. “LOD” (Limit of Detection) is noted where an element is present in trace or negligible amounts. This XRF Spreadsheet analysis confirms that this tested Glass is naturally occurring Glass and not Man-made "Slag" Glass as previously thought by many.

Later, Dr. Michael Gramly independently tested "Andara" Volcanic Glass Artifact samples using his own laboratory and also confirmed that this glass, that was used for making Paleolithic Effigy Artifacts, is naturally occurring and not Man-made “Slag” glass as previously assumed.

The XRF Testing results further confirmed that this Volcanic Glass is different from both Obsidian and Tektites, which are both rich in oxygen atoms and typically contain 60%–80% silicon dioxide (SiO₂). In contrast, "Andara" Volcanic Glass, used in the production of Paleolithic Artifacts, contains no oxygen. Man-made glass also differs significantly, as it includes oxygen-rich compounds such as silicon dioxide (SiO₂), calcium oxide (CaO). Man-made glass also includes sodium (Na) which is not present in this type of Volcanic Glass.

Volcanic Glass of this type is always found in regions of volcanic activity and is currently being mined from ancient lava flows in China.

You can scroll through the full XRF test results using the arrow in the bottom right of the spreadsheet

Access the data here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...



A Note on Artifact Authenticity & Its Relationship to XRF Testing

It’s important to remember that the "Andara" Volcanic Glass samples tested via XRF Testing are not Man-made glass samples simply labeled as "Andara" glass. The "Andara" Volcanic Glass tested is naturally occurring glass that was used in the production of Paleolithic Story Stone Effigy Artifacts, which exhibit shaped perimeters using percussion and pressure flaking as well as patterned etching to image Mammoth and Facial Hair. THAT CONTEXT MATTERS. When Dr. Gramly performed his XRF Test analysis, he confirmed the glass was naturally occurring precisely because the samples tested were genuine Flaked and Etched Paleolithic Artifacts and Not Man-made Slag Glass simply labeled as "Andara".

Unfortunately, the term “Andara glass” is often used to describe colorful man-made glass that has no archaeological context. These modern examples test high in silicon dioxide and show significant oxygen content—hallmarks of Man-made glass. In contrast, true Paleolithic Artifacts made from naturally occurring "Andara" Volcanic Glass contain no Oxygen or Sodium, which are key differentiators.


For a deeper dive into this discovery and its significance, please read the latest article on Paleo Story Stones here:

https://antiquitiesoftheamericas.com/...


To view photos of Volcanic Glass Paleolithic Story Stone Artifacts, visit here:

https://antiquitiesoftheamericas.com/