August 13, 2026 Monthly Meeting
Using Obsidian to Understand the Ancient Maya
Guest Speaker: Kara A. Fulton
Abstract: Obsidian – a volcanic glass prized by the ancient Maya for tools, weapons, and ceremonial objects – offers archaeologists a unique opportunity to investigate ancient trade and exchange. Because each geological source of obsidian possesses a distinctive geochemical signature, archaeologists can identify where artifacts originated and trace the movement of materials across the landscape. In this presentation, Dr. Kara Fulton will discuss how portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis provides a rapid, nondestructive method for sourcing obsidian artifacts and reconstructing ancient exchange networks. Using examples from the Maya region of Central America, Dr. Fulton will explain how archaeologists collect and interpret geochemical data and how these data contribute to broader questions about economy, politics, and social organization. The presentation will also highlight recent fieldwork at the Maya site of Actuncan, Belize, where nearly 1,500 obsidian artifacts were analyzed using pXRF during the 2026 field season.
Speaker Bio
Dr. Kara A. Fulton is a Clinical Professor at the University of North Texas. She is a geoarchaeologist with methodological expertise in the chemical analysis of soils, plaster surfaces, and obsidian. Her geographical focus is the Maya Lowlands of Belize, she has also worked in Mexico and Honduras. Her current research explores how community identities affected the resilience of Classic Maya populations when faced with environmental, political, and economic change.