"Uncovering Coronado's Legacy: The Obsidian Blade of Texas"

A small obsidian blade found in the Texas Panhandle has provided compelling evidence of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado’s expedition over 470 years ago, according to SMU anthropologist Matthew Boulanger. The blade's chemical composition ties it to Central Mexico, where indigenous people used obsidian to produce cutting tools until the Spanish conquest. Boulanger's findings, published in the Journal of the North Texas Archeological Society, suggest that the artifact is part of a Coronado-related site and a clue to the expedition’s trail, emphasizing the importance of documenting artifact locations for archaeological research.