This study presents an experimental analysis of the effect of weathering on the elemental characterization of artifacts made from rhyolite and metarhyolite originating within the Carolina Slate Belt of central North Carolina. A comparison of the results of portable x-ray fluorescence analyses of weathered and unweathered surfaces revealed no statistical difference between the compositional data for most of the selected elements. As a result, characterization and sourcing studies of rhyolite artifacts with weathered surfaces does not require destructive preparation such as cutting, grinding, or pelletizing a sample prior to analysis. This is important as such damaging preparation methods are prohibited for many archaeological collections or museum artifacts.
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