Obsidian Cliff
Obsidian Cliff | |
 Obsidian Cliff | |
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| Nearest city | Mammoth Hot Springs, WY |
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| Coordinates | 44°49′08″N 110°43′40″W / 44.8189°N 110.7278°W |
| Area | 3,580 acres (14.5 km2)[1] |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000973 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 19, 1996[2] |
| Designated NHL | June 19, 1996[3] |
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Obsidian Cliff, also known as 48YE433, was an important source of lithic materials for prehistoric peoples in Yellowstone National Park near Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, United States. The cliff was named by Philetus Norris, the second park superintendent in 1878.[4] It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1996.[1][3]
The cliff was formed from thick rhyolite lava flow that occurred about 180,000 years ago. The vertical columns are cooling fractures that formed as the thick lava flow cooled and crystallized. The Cliffs stands at an elevation of nearly 7,400 feet (2,300 m) above sea level and goes on for about half a mile. The cliffs also extend between 150 and 200 feet above Obsidian Creek. The flow consists of obsidian, a dark volcanic glass. The obsidian is most abundant at the base of the cliff and slowly tapers off to larger concentrations of pumice at the top. Obsidian from this site was first quarried here about 12,000 years ago. Early natives of North America placed a high value on the obsidian that came from this cliff as well as other similar obsidian deposits in the area because numerous tools could be fashioned from obsidian—most popularly, knives, spear/arrow tips, and other sharp-edged objects. In fact, obsidian from Obsidian Cliff was so sought after in early America (before the time of Columbus) that it was traded as far away as Ohio and Canada.
Many studies have been done on the composition of the obsidian from Obsidian Cliff and how the obsidian from Obsidian Cliff was distributed. This research has provided evidence of the direction and extent of prehistoric trade networks.[5]
It is located about 13 miles (21 km) south of Mammoth Hot Springs, on the east side of the Mammoth-Norris section of the Grand Loop Road.[1] The Obsidian Cliff Kiosk, just north, is also listed on the National Register. Obsidian Cliff is also located on the northern end of Beaver Lake in Yellowstone National Park.
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b c Ann M. Johnson; Leslie B. Davis & Stephen A. Aaberg (January 28, 1993). "National Historic Landmark Nomination: Obsidian Cliff" (pdf). National Park Service.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) and Accompanying nine photos, from 1884, 1889, 1920 and 1989 (32 KB) - ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ a b "Obsidian Cliff". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 26, 2006. Retrieved February 29, 2008.
- ^ Whittlesey, Lee (1988). Yellowstone Place Names. Helena, MT: Montana Historical Society Press. p. 114. ISBN 0-917298-15-2.
- ^ Kenneth P. Cannon (1993). "Paleoindian Use of Obsidian in the Greater Yellowstone Area New evidence of the mobility of early Yellowstone people" (PDF). Yellowstone Science. 1 (4): 6–9. Retrieved October 15, 2011.[permanent dead link]
External links[edit]
Media related to Obsidian Cliff at Wikimedia Commons- Obsidian Cliff National Historic Landmark at the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office
Yellowstone National Park - Mammoth Hot Springs | ||
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Historic structures and other attractions in the Mammoth Hot Springs area | ||
| Structures and history |  | |
| Geography and geology | ||
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| International | |
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| National | |
- Landforms of Yellowstone National Park
- Cliffs of Wyoming
- Landforms of Park County, Wyoming
- Volcanism of Wyoming
- Native American history of Wyoming
- National Historic Landmarks in Wyoming
- Natural features on the National Register of Historic Places in Wyoming
- Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Wyoming
- National Register of Historic Places in Park County, Wyoming
- Obsidian
- Quarries in the United States