• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.105-116
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to provide the information on genesis of obsidian occurring in the southwestern part of Ulleung Island, Korea, and to discuss its implications for volcanic activity through volcanological and mineralogical properties of obsidian. Obsidian occurs locally at the lower part of the Gombawi welded tuff, showing various complex textures and flow banding. Though obsidian is mostly homogeneous, it is closely associated with alkali feldspar phenocrysts, reddish tuff, and greyish trachyte fragments. The obsidian occurs as wavy, lenticular blocks or lamination composed of fragments. Cooling fractures developed on obsidian glass are characterized by perlitic cracks, orbicular or spherical cracks, indicating that obsidian rapidly quenched to form an amorphous silica-rich phase. It is evident that hydration took place preferentially at the outer rim relative to the core of obsidian, forming alteration rinds. The glassy matrix of obsidian includes euhedral alkali feldspars, diopside, biotite, ilmenite, and iron oxides. Microlites in glassy obsidian are composed mainly of alkali feldspars and ilmenite. Quantitative analysis by EPMA on the obsidian glass part shows trachytic composition with high iron content of 3 wt.%. Accordingly, obsidian formed with complex textures under a rapid cooling condition on surface ground, with slight rheomorphism. Such results might be induced by collapse of lava dome or caldera, which produced the block-and-ash flow deposit and the transportation into valley while keeping high temperatures.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2019

We estimated the provenance of the obsidian artifacts from Samgeori site at Yeoncheon, one of the prehistoric sites in South Korea. Pyroxene microlites are of hedenbergite to augite compositions, and intergrown and/or overgrown with Fe-oxides showing poikilitic texture. Major oxides contents for the matrix of the obsidian artifacts exhibit a narrow compositional range, especially SiO₂ contents being 73.0~75.5 wt.% of acidic rhyolitic composition. Also, rare earth element (REE) contents are relatively constant in the obsidian artifacts, and the chondrite-normalized REE patterns show a strong Eu negative anomaly. These mineralogical and geochemical features of the Samgeori obsidian artifacts were compared with those from both the Baekdusan obsidians and Japanese Kyushu obsidians which have been thought to be two major obsidian provenances around South Korea. It is suggested that the Samgeori obsidian artifacts were possibly originated from the Baekdusan obsidians.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2009

Objective: Much has been known that the systematical theory of acupuncture was developed from stone needle as therapeutic tools for orthopedic diseases in ancient times. Stone needle is very old therapeutic method like moxibustion and has been recognized that it was developed since the Stone Age in China so far. In the present study, it was examined for the origination and formation of stone needle based on stone relics of the Stone Age in Korean Peninsular, the medical and geographical literatures. Materials and methods: The facts of stone needle was examined and arranged on the ancient medical or geographical literatures such as The Yellow Emperor's Canon Internal Medicine, Shanhaijing as an ancient geographical book, etc. The clan societies and family related to an origination of stone needle was chased together with their cultural characteristics and origination. The stone relics which have been digged out of historic sites in the North-East Asia were examined for a relevance to stone needle. Results: In The Yellow Emperor's Canon Internal Medicine, it was referred to the stone needle that originated from a fishery zone related to the east coast district in North-East Asia. Through the examination of Shan Hai Jing as an ancient geographical book and its historical reviews, a Go-yi clan society who keep Go's family tree dealt well with the stone needle and jewels including jade in the North-East Asia before the publication periods of The Yellow Emperor's Canon Internal Medicine, and is comprised in the culture of Dong-yi clan society but not the Chinese culture. The obsidian stones, which have been digged out of historical sites in the North-East Asia since the Stone Age, are originated from volcanic areas combined with seashore that seems to be Baekdu mountain district in Korea and Kyushu district in Japan. Furthermore, obsidian stone tools which were found out at Laodung peninsula and the Korean peninsula are archeologically similar to the stone needle with regards to the shape, size and dual-use. In addition, specific obsidian stone tools have been used in orthopedic surgery as well-crafted obsidian blades have a cutting edge up to five times sharper than high-quality steel surgical scalpels. Conclusion: The origin of obsidian stone needle is well corresponded to the explanation about that of the stone needle. It is suggested that the stone needle which influenced in completion of acupuncture and Meridian theory in China seems to be an obsidian stone, and distribution of obsidian stone needle has been closely connected to Dong-yi clan society which are lived in the North-East Asia including Baekdu-mountain district.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.268-271
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• 2005

Sixty-four obsidian artifacts found in the Korean Peninsula have been characterised by a study of their minor elements and Sr isotope ratio. The artifacts are from the following locations: Yondaedo Island; Yokjido Island; Sangnodaedo Island, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam; Dongsamdong, Busan; Songdo Island, Yeosu, Jeonnam; Suyanggae, Danyang, Chungbuk; Sangmuyongri, Yanggu, Gangwondo; Paektusan Mountain; Kyushu region, Japan. The study of minor elements and Sr isotope ratio recognised three distinct major groups. This result suggests that there are no correlations among the three groups whose provenances are different. But as a result of classification using Sr isotope ratio, obsidian artifacts found in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula classified two groups within C group. This research will furnish scientific datum to be able to mutual comparison of obsidians excavated from other site.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.450-455
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• 1990

Fifty eight obsidian artifacts and four obsidian source samples have been analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Artifact samples have been classified into classes by unsupervised learning techniques such as eigenvector projection and nonlinear mapping. The source samples have thereafter been connected to the classes by the supervised learning techniques such as SLDA and SIMCA so as to characterize each class by possible source sites. Some difference attributable to different nonlinear mapping techniques and the elemental effects on the separation between classes have been discussed.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2020

Glass reference materials have been essentially used for precise geochemistry analytical techniques. In order to make up for the drawback of synthetic glass reference materials, which have the high uncertainty caused by the difference in composition of natural rocks, we introduce a glass geostandard using natural glass. The NK-B1G sample, which comes from the Baekdusan obsidian, is a natural glassy rock that contains only few crystals such as microlites or inclusions. We examined the feasibility of the sample as a reference material for microanalysis like EPMA or LA-ICPMS.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.243-249
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• 2014

We conducted investigations into the morphological characterstics and chemical compositions of the microlites included in the obsidians from the North Korean side Baekdusan (NK) and in the obsidian artefacts from the Busan Gadeokdo prehistoric site (BG). The morphology of the microlites from the NK can be divided into three groups, and trichite-acicular and trichite-asteroidal types are predominant. On the other hand the microlites from the BG show various morphological features such as acicular, margarite, lath, and asteroidal types. Silicate microlites from the NK are mostly of Ca-pyroxene compositions (hedenbergite to augite), whereas those from the BG are mostly of biotite (annite) with small amount of clinopyroxene (ferrosilite). It is well understood that the microlites from the NK are different from those from the BG in terms of the morphology, mineral content and mineral composition. Thus the obsidian aretefacts from the Busan Gadeokdo prehistoric site seem to have no genetical relationship to the obsidians from the Baekdusan.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.733-742
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• 2007

Petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses were carried on the paleolithic obsidian implements excavated at Wolseongdong, Daegu, Korea. The obsidians has a homogeneous glassy texture that can be observed in a typical obsidian formed from a rapid cooling of silicic magma. Major element composition of the obsidians represent calc-alkaline series. Comparing those with other obsidians from domestic local excavation sites, Mt. Baekdu, and Kyusu of Japan, the Wolseongdong obsidians show similar element distribution pattern with others in spite of small difference in trace and rare Earth element contents. Sr isotopes of the obsidians considerably differ from those of the obsidians from southern part of the Korean Peninsula or from Mt. Baekdu. K-Ar age is approximately 30 Ma, which is much older than Mt. Baekdu (10 Ma). Therefore, considering the characteristics of obsidians found in the Korean Peninsula including mineralogy, petrology, trace element, and isotopes chronology, the obsidians can be divided into four groups: Mt. Baekdu, southern part of Korea (Kyusu of Japan), middle part of Korea, and Wolseongdong region. These groups suggest a possibility of more than four different origins of the obsidians found in the Korean Peninsular.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2007

The gemological charateristics of Gwangdong tektites and Baikdusan obsidians were investigated, using microscopy, density and refractive index measurements, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass spectrometry, X-ray powder diffraction, and electron microprobe analysis. The Gwangdong tektites and Baikdusan obsidians are both black in colour and slightly trans-lucent with various shades of brown when cut into a few mm thick. Both the materials yield conchoidal fracture on broken surface. The tektites occur as tear-drop shapes, ranging from 4 to 10 cm long, and in spheres, from 3 to 5 cm in diameter. On the surface numerous shallow pits up to 3 mm in diameter are present. Mohs' hardness and specific gravity are 5 to 5.5 and 2.66, respectively. The tektites are singly refractive, with an refractive index of 1.51. Numerous spherical air bubbles are randomly scattered throughout the tektites, and silica-rich glass inclusions are occasionally seen. X-ray powder diffraction analysis verifies that they are non-crystalline. The Baikdusan obsidians show very similar properties to those of the Gwangdong tektites, especially in hardness, amorphous nature and fracture. Nevertheless, the Baikdusan obsidian can readily be distinguished from the Gwangdong tektites by refractive index ($1.49{\sim}1.50$), specific gravity (2.67 to 2.68), and inclusions (absence of bubbles and presence of sanidine and magnetite crystals).

• Proceedings of the Korean Quaternary Association Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.17-20
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• 2006