Sayrosa, a Minor Obsidian Source in the Puna of Arequipa

This article reports the identification of the Sayrosa Source, a minor geologic source of volcanic glass referred to Rare Type-3 obsidian in the 1977 pilot study by Burger and Asaro. Located only 25 km northeast of the major Alca-1 deposit, this source was exploited in prehispanic times despite the relatively small size of its nodules. Occasional flakes and bifaces of Sayrosa obsidian appear at archaeological sites in the puna of Chumbivilcas and the Cusco Valley probably as the by-product of llama caravans carrying other goods such as meat, wool, salt and Alca obsidian from the high grasslands of northern Arequipa to the agricultural communities of Cusco.