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Welcome to the Northwest Research Obsidian Studies Laboratory website. We offer a variety of different analytical services related to obsidian artifact trace element provenance ("sourcing") studies, obsidian hydration analysis, and obsidian source studies, primarily in the context of archaeological research. This website describes our services and provides methodological and source information that supplements and supports our contract investigations and research interests.

			IMPORTANT - BUSINESS ADDRESS CHANGE: We have moved the business address of the lab to a new location - 3269 SE Summerfield Drive in Corvallis (97333) - and will be moving the entire lab to the same address on September 1, 2013. Artifacts should now be shipped to the new address! Click HERE for more information and the necessary reassurances.
			UPCOMING 2013 SUMMER SCHEDULE REMINDER: Every summer from June 1st to September, we're on summer schedule around the lab and this year is no exception. Click HERE for the details and a look at a few of our other summer plans.
			LAB CHANGES FOR 2013: In response to a demanding lab schedule for 2013, we have very reluctantly suspended three of our long-time laboratory programs: (1) provenance studies of fine-grained volcanic (FGV) artifacts, (2) our annual lab grant, and (3) discounted rates for graduate students. Click HERE for the rest of the story.
			UPCOMING WEBSITE MAKEOVER: You may have noticed that the lab website has been pretty static lately and that we've been woefully slow to update some sections. Truth is, we've been exceptionally busy over the last year. Summer plans include some serious website restructuring and we'll have a few other surprises for you in addition. Click HERE for more.
			NEW EXPANDED ONLINE OBSIDIAN SOURCE RESOURCES: We're gradually expanding the source descriptive and literature reference information at the U.S. Obsidian Source Catalog. This project is still rough around the edges but you can see where we're going with it by looking at the SOURCE INFORMATION menu located to the left. Click HERE for more information.
			GOODBYE FAX MACHINE - HELLO PDF'S: Fax technology has evolved to about the stage of cassette tapes and we finally pulled the plug on our fax machine when the last inkjet cartridge dried up from underuse. Up next in 2014 for the voyage to obsolescence: CD's.
			UPDATED DOWNLOADS: We've reorganized the lab downloads and have relocated most of the obsidian-related articles, reports, theses, and dissertations to the new IAOS PDF Library. Our standard lab forms and other lab docs can still be found HERE.