Neutron Activation Analysis, Hematite/Ochre from Missouri and Illinois, U.S.A.

This data was produced at the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Research Reactor through Neutron Activation. Data was produced in 2006, 2019, and 2021. Data include archaeological samples from the St. Louis Region of Missouri and Illinois, and from Verkamp Rockshelter in Phelps County, Missouri. Also included are data from various raw material deposits in Southeastern Missouri. The data was produced for the purpose of determining the provenance of archaeological hematites. Results demonstrated that compositional differences between St. Louis region samples and those from Phelps County. Likewise, raw material samples were discriminated from all archaeological samples. In essence, though southeastern Missouri has an abundance of raw Fe-oxide deposits, it appears that the St. Louis region archaeological samples may have originated elsewhere. To appropriately use the data, the user should be sure to normalize the data for the influence of elevated Iron content.