description Glass Buttes Overview
Glass Buttes is a volcanic complex located in Lake County, Oregon, consisting of rhyolitic lava domes and flows. The area is notable for large, varied deposits of obsidian, a volcanic glass that was quarried by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years to produce tools and projectile points. Multiple obsidian types with distinct coloration and banding are found across the site, making it significant for both geology and archaeology. Glass Buttes remains a known collecting area for rockhounds and is managed partly by the U.S.
Bureau of Land Management.
help Glass Buttes FAQ
Where are Glass Buttes located?
Glass Buttes is a volcanic complex in Lake County, Oregon, in central Oregon. The area consists of rhyolitic lava domes and flows and is especially known for its obsidian.
Why is Glass Buttes famous among rockhounds?
Glass Buttes contains unusually varied deposits of volcanic glass, including several visually different kinds of obsidian. The material can be knapped into sharp edges, which helps explain its long importance as a toolstone source.
Did Indigenous peoples use obsidian from Glass Buttes?
Yes. Obsidian from the Glass Buttes region was quarried and worked by Indigenous peoples for tools and projectile points over thousands of years. Its sharp conchoidal fracture made it valuable long before modern rock collecting.
Is Glass Buttes obsidian always black?
No. Glass Buttes is known for varied obsidian colors and patterns rather than only uniform black glass. The exact appearance depends on the volcanic material and mineral inclusions in a particular piece.
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