Origer's Obsidian Lab

Tom at the microscope

Tom is engaged in obsidian hydration research and commercial hydration band measurement as Origer's Obsidian Laboratory (OOL). The staff includes technicians who prepare and measure bands on thin sections, manage data, and engage in induced hydration and other experiments. Currently, we have four microscopes dedicated to obsidian research and two pressure reactors inducing hydration. Research is guided in part by a focus group consisting of Dave Fredrickson, Tom Origer, Janine Loyd, Ted Jones, Sue-Ann Schroder, Eileen Steen and others who meet on an occasional basis.

We do negotiate rates for very large projects and for those related strictly to limited or non-funded research.

We support the Society for California Archaeology's James A. Bennyhoff Memorial Fund Award through donation of hydration services, and we will continue to offer hydration services as a Silent Auction item at future Annual Meetings of the Society for California Archaeology.
 

Rates for obsidian hydration analysis:
1-24 specimens $17.50 each
25-99 specimens $15.00 each
>100 specimens $13.00 each

Special, reduced rates are available for academic research with limited funding (e.g. thesis/dissertation research). Please call for details.