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David K
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Location: San Diego County
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Obsidian Sources of Northern Baja, a paper by Lee Panich
Lacking a "Baja Geology" forum on Nomad, I will post this link here. The paper is in English and Spanish. Lee Panich is an archeologist, best know to
us Baja folks for his research at Mission Santa Catalina. I have a photo from him in my book on that mission's chapter.
Obsidian (volcanic or "dragon" glass) was used for arrow and spear points by the Natives. Tracing the source of obsidian points, found all over
northern Baja, shows how trade or travel covered large areas.
https://www.academia.edu/3144943/Obsidian_Sources_of_Norther...
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shari
Select Nomad
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Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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I have been told that the obsidian source nearest here is the San Ignacio area...prolly that Sta.Clara area meaning that those Nomads got around.
I have found slugs that the hunter carried on them that they chipped out arrowheads.
The point I live on out here in BAhia Asuncion has lots of chips and I have found arrowheads in the driveway! this must have been a popular hunting
ground...lots of birds to eat perhaps.
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AKgringo
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My dad was a rock hound, and I have rocks from all over the southwest that he brought back to Grass Valley. I don't know if the obsidian chunks
(about fifty pounds each) came from Baja, but he and mom spent a lot of years exploring down there!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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BajaMama
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We used to find "Indian tears" outside the Mojave preserve in So. Nevada. They are little ovals of obsidian created from volcanic eruptions.
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by BajaMama  | | We used to find "Indian tears" outside the Mojave preserve in So. Nevada. They are little ovals of obsidian created from volcanic eruptions.
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We have seen them as well, just south of the sulfur mine on the Azufre Pass/ Cañada Partial road. Nomad 'GeoRock' was talking about them to us on our
2004 Matomi Tour... called them "Apache Tears".
In 1966, while camping at El Requeson, I found a large piece of obsidian on the island. It might have been my first Baja rock collection piece?
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John Harper
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Anything in Baja like the "obsidian domes" just north of Mammoth? I've been intrigued by obsidian since I was a kid exploring old native sites up in
Ventura County. Have a few nice examples in my garden. Taken from the Sierra, not native sites.
Obsidian can create an incredibly sharp edge, as little as one atom thick. No steel blade can do that.
John
[Edited on 9-27-2020 by John Harper]
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David K
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The map in the article shows obsidian sources of northern Baja, but I don't know of any obsidian domes... only the onyx dome at El Volcán, come to
mind when you say "domes".
Here is Nomad BAJACAT standing on it, in 2011:
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PaulW
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Apache Tears
I wrote this 5 years ago
Apache tears - San Felipe
This location is near the east entrance to arroyo Azufre (Crazyhorse) and is at the north end of the north exit from arroyo Matomi (which is only used
for racing). Apache tears are the obsidian pellets that fell from the sky during an ancient volcano eruption. Lots of local trips have been there so
now days you have to look hard to find them. Now would be a good time with exposure and no recent trips.
Expect to find ½ to 1” size. Use your GPS and find the place at N30 38.221’, W114 49.653’.
My search in in the Matomi drainage has not provided any obsidian results.
On the pic below OPR = Old Puerticitos Road
Drive the southern track for the most interest drive. I need to do that drive again.
 best low cal alcohol
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del mar
Banned
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there's underwater obsidian domes off cabo san lucas
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John Harper
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And native people accessed them? Even before Sea Hunt was popular?
John
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David K
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Apache tears are also laying all over the place 0.7 mi from OPR, where the Azufre Wash (Cañon el Parral) road forks off the Llanos de San Fermín
road.
From my Feb 2004 Matomi Reunion Trip page:
Playing Football?
No, but GeoRock and Pat are finding obsidian pebbles, known as 'Apache Tears' laying all over the desert, at our second stop. Photo from Mexray
[Edited on 9-27-2020 by David K]
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: Originally posted by shari | I have been told that the obsidian source nearest here is the San Ignacio area...prolly that Sta.Clara area meaning that those Nomads got around.
I have found slugs that the hunter carried on them that they chipped out arrowheads.
The point I live on out here in BAhia Asuncion has lots of chips and I have found arrowheads in the driveway! this must have been a popular hunting
ground...lots of birds to eat perhaps. |
There is obsidian near the the coast northeast of tres virgenes.
There are multiple obsidian locations at north end of sea of Cortez (a number of locations north and south of San Felipe)
Also near niland in imperial county (it is a park called “obsidian butte”)
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
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Apache Tears Area
Showing the relationship of various track near Apache Tears
Not real close to the Azufre/Parral track
More coordinates at OPR waypoints
30 42.785, -114 46.724
30 41.557, -114 46.468
30 39.636 -114 45.129
And another nearby Tears location 30 38.354, -114 49.835
I will drive al those tracks when g=we get back to Baja. Can hardly wait.
I should mention there is new fencing north of Matomi on the west side which means a new track will be developed to pass thru the fence gate.
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wilderone
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Now this is an obsidian dome:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
(Near June Lake)
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BajaMama
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Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Quote: Originally posted by BajaMama | | We used to find "Indian tears" outside the Mojave preserve in So. Nevada. They are little ovals of obsidian created from volcanic eruptions.
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We have seen them as well, just south of the sulfur mine on the Azufre Pass/ Cañada Partial road. Nomad 'GeoRock' was talking about them to us on our
2004 Matomi Tour... called them "Apache Tears".
In 1966, while camping at El Requeson, I found a large piece of obsidian on the island. It might have been my first Baja rock collection piece?
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You are correct - Apache Tears. Senior moment!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64867
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Not a problem! 
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Maderita
Senior Nomad
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Registered: 12-14-2008
Location: San Diego
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wilderone,
Thanks for posting that photo. I had never seen conchoidal fracturing on such a large scale.
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caj13
Super Nomad
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| Quote: Originally posted by shari | I have been told that the obsidian source nearest here is the San Ignacio area...prolly that Sta.Clara area meaning that those Nomads got around.
I have found slugs that the hunter carried on them that they chipped out arrowheads.
The point I live on out here in BAhia Asuncion has lots of chips and I have found arrowheads in the driveway! this must have been a popular hunting
ground...lots of birds to eat perhaps. |
Shari, what size were the points? "bird points" for birds and small game were not much bigger than a thumbnail (at least the most recent ones,
they got smaller as the eons rolled forward) many groups use heavy blunt tipped arrows for birds, going for the shock, which killed and crippled
much quicker, a point in a bird could lead to dinner flying off with your valuable arrow imbedded in them.
I'm wondering if they were after sea lions, or fishing in tide pools with their bows?
[Edited on 10-4-2020 by caj13]
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John Harper
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Just north of Mammoth there are some huge domes of obsidian. If you stop by in the morning, the sunshine makes the entire dome sparkle. Well worth
the short drive off 395.
John
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surfhat
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Any photos off these 'Tears", Baja or Indian Tears?
Another of those interesting fake news free advantages of coming here every day.
Blanca, you are always such a shining example of paying it forward. Blessings to you and Les' and your mom.
We could all use as much of that here as we can get.
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