Materials Identification Guide

Alaska Lithic Material

 











Name Natural Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details Primary found in: Associated Formation / Member
Agattu Island Argillite   Ranges from a bluish green to green. Alaska Peninsula  
Akmalik Chert
AKA: EMF Chert, Jet Black Chert
Deep black color that lacks mottling or banding.  Inclusions of fine pyrite is commonly present. Northern Alaska Lisburne Group
Alapah Chert Black weathering gray to dark gray. Northern Alaska Member 5 and 8 of the Alapah Formation of the Lisburne Group
Akutan Obsidian   Smoky black Alaska Peninsula Akutan Volcanics
Alaska Peninsula Wood   Includes logs, stumps, branches, and fragments with colors of black, gray, and white. Alaska Peninsula  
Amy Creek Chert Ranges from a dark gray to black. Westcentral Alaska  
Anchor Point Wood   Occurs as logs, branches, root systems and stumps. South central Alaska Beluga or Sterling Formation
Andesite
Generic Type
    North America Varies
Aniakchak Volcano Petrified Wood     Alaska Peninsula Meshik Formation
Argillite
(Generic type)
  Light to dark green, but may range to various shades of gray. North America Varies
Basalt   Ranges from black to gray Western North America Volcanic
Batza Tena Obsidian
AKA: Indian Mountain Obsidian
  Black Northwestern Alaska  
Cape Aliaksin Petrified Wood     Alaska Peninsula Tolstoi Formation
Carnelian
Generic Type
  Translucent and varies in shades from reddish brown to reddish orange. North America Varies
Chicaloon River Petrified Wood     South central Alaska Volcanics
Chuniksak Chert Ranges from a dark gray to black Alaska Peninsula Chuniksak Formation
Coleen River Petrified Wood     Northeastern Alaska  
Colville River Petrified Wood     North central Alaska Chandalar Formation
Coyote Lake Petrified Wood     South central Alaska  
Dacite
Generic Type
Most commonly a light to dark gray or black Western North America Varies
Eagle Creek Chert Ranges from a light gray to black. South central Alaska Eagle Creek Formation of the Mankomen Group
Echooka Chert Ranges from a grayish green to black Northeastern Alaska Echooka Member of the Sadlerochit Formation
Echooka Quartzite   Light gray Northeastern Alaska Echooka Member of the Sadlerochit Formation
Endicott Mountain Chert   Bright red, maroon, and turquoise green Northwestern Alaska Basalt formations
Ettrain Chert Dark gray East central Alaska Ettrain Formation
False Pass Obsidian     Alaska  
Ford Lake Chert Grayish black East central Alaska Ford Lake Shale Member of the Imperial Formation
Funnel Creek Chert Dark gray Southern Alaska Funnel Creek Formation
Harrison Bay Petrified Wood     North central Alaska  
Imnaitchiak Chert   Ranges in color from light to dark gray, but may range to a bluish or steel gray or greenish gray North central Alaska Imnaitchiak Chert Formation of the Etivluk Group
Kachamak Bay Petrified Wood     South central Alaska Beluga Formation
Kahiltna Argillite   Ranges from a dark gray to black. Central Alaska Kahiltna Flysch
Kahiltna Chert Ranges from a dark gray to black radiolarian chert. Central Alaska Kahiltna Flysch
Kamishak Chert Blackish green and dark red in color Alaska Peninsula Kamishak Formation
Karupa River Petrified Wood   Most commonly dark gray and black, but colors of white, light yellow, and brown also occur. Northwestern Alaska Tuktu Formation
Kejulik River Petrified Wood     Alaska Peninsula Naknet Formation
Kenai Peninsula Agate   Includes moss, plume, fortification, and banded thunder eggs. South central Alaska Beach deposits
Kigalik Canyon Petrified Wood     West central Alaska  
Kikolit River Petrified Wood     Northwestern Alaska Corwin Formation
Kuiu Agate   Deep blue color reaching the color of lapis lazuli shades Southeastern Alaska  
Kuiu Island Petrified Wood
AKA: Port Camden - Keku Strait Petrified Wood
    Southeastern Alaska  
Kujulik Bay Petrified Wood     Alaska Peninsula Meshik Formation
Kuna Chert Black Northern Alaska Kuna Formation of the Lisburne Group
Lakloey Hill Petrified Wood     West central Alaska  
Lisburne Chert Banded dark gray and black. Northern Alaska Lisburne Limestone Formation
Livengood Chert ranges from a light gray to a grayish black weathering a gray to green. reddish brown or red. Northern Alaska Livengood Formation
McCallum Creek Petrified Wood     Northeastern Alaska  
McCann Hill Chert Ranges from a light gray to black. East central Alaska McCann Hill Formation
Mount Edgecumbe Obsidian   Ranges from a dark gray to black.   A glassy black dactite with reddish brown and flow banding also occurs. Southeastern Alaska Mount Edgecumbe Volcanics
Mount Michelson Petrified Wood
AKA: Katakturak River Petrified Wood
    Northeastern Alaska Sagaranirktok Formation
Nanwaksjiak Obsidian     Southwestern Alaska Nanwaksjik Volcanics
Obsidian
AKA: Volcanic Glass
  Black to black with bands of dark reds (mahogany obsidian) or white flakes (snowflake obsidian) Western North America Volcanics
Okmok Obsidian    Black Alaska Peninsula Okmok Volvanics
Orthoquartzite
(Generic type)
   Varies North America Varies
Otuk Chert    Banded with colors ranging from a tan or light cream to light gray or black, small inclusions of spherules of recrystallized radiolaria Northern Alaska Otuk Formation of the Etivluk Group
Pavlof Bay Petrified Wood      Alaska Peninsula Tolstoi Formation
Petrified Wood
AKA: Agatized Wood, Opalized Wood
   Vary in color based on the minerals present during the process North America Varies
Pevlik Volcano Petrified Wood      Southeastern Alaska Chignik Formation
Port Moller Wood      Alaska Peninsula Milky River Formation
Quartzite    Varies from white to gray, or pink and tan in color North America  
Rampart Group Chert Ranges from a medium gray to a greenish gray with veins of quartz commonly present. East central Alaska Rampart Group
Rhyolite    Gray to grayish black, flow banding may be present alternating from light to darker gray North America Varies
Skolai Pass Obsidian      Southeastern Alaska  
Stepovak Chert      Alaska Peninsula Stepovak Series
Strelna Chert    Light gray Southeastern Alaska Strelna Formation
Suemez Island Obsidian
AKA: Cape Felix Obsidian
     Southeastern Alaska  
Tahkandit Chert    Ranges from a light gray to light yellow or grayish brown with quartz vugs or darker gray blobs commonly present.  East central Alaska Tahkandit Formation
Tuff
AKA: Solidified Volcanic Ash
      Contains greater than 75 volcanic ash and ranges from white to tan, gray or pink. North America Volcanic activity
Ukolnoi Island Petrified Wood       Alaska Peninsula  
Unga Island Petrified Wood      Alaska Peninsula Unga Conglomerate Formation
Veniaminof Volcano Wood      Alaska Peninsula Meshik - Stepovak Formation
Wahoo Chert Black Northeastern Alaska Wahoo Formation of the Lisburne Group
Wiki Peak Obsidian    Black Southeastern Alaska  
Wolverine Quartzite    Ranges from a very light gray to white or tan weathering to a medium gray. Central Alaska Wolverine Quartzite Formation of the Kandik Group
Woodchopper Chert Ranges from a dark green to black West central Alaska Woodchopper Volcanic Formation
Wosrlesenski Island Petrified Wood      Alaska Peninsula Unga Conglomerate Formation
Wrangell Obsidian
AKA: Wrangell Mountain Obsidian, Group A Obsidian
   Black Southeastern Alaska  
Yantarni Volcano Petrified Wood      Alaska Peninsula Tolstoi Formation