Perspectives and potentials for absolute dating prehistoric rock paintings

Antiquity ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 67 (254) ◽  
pp. 58-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Watchman
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Rock Art ◽  
Organic Substances ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Absolute Dating ◽  
Rock Paintings ◽  
Analytical Equipment

Absolute dating of prehistoric rock paintings is an exciting archaeological pursuit. Sophisticated sample collection, handling and pretreatment methods and new analytical equipment and techniques are minimizing contamination and permitting identification of trace amounts of organic substances in prehistoric paints. Radiocarbon dating using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is producing dates for minute residues of blood, charcoal and plant fibres, either accidentally or deliberately incorporated in paintings. Carbon-bearing laminations, such as oxalate-crusts and silica skins, which have accumulated under and over rock art, have also been recently dated.

scholarly journals 14C Wiggle-Matching of the B-Tm Tephra, Baitoushan Volcano, China/North Korea

Radiocarbon ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 933-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinya Yatsuzuka ◽  
Mitsuru Okuno ◽  
Toshio Nakamura ◽  
Katsuhiko Kimura ◽  
Yohei Setoma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
North Korea ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Gas Emission ◽  
Volcanic Gas ◽  
Ams Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Eruption Age ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Volcanic Gas Emission

We performed accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating and wiggle-matching of 2 wood samples from charred trunks of trees (samples A and B) collected from an ignimbrite deposit on the northeastern slope of the Baitoushan Volcano on the border of China and North Korea. The obtained calendar years for the eruption are cal AD 945–960 for sample A and cal AD 859–884 and cal AD 935–963 for sample B in the 2-σ range. These results are unable to determine the precise eruption age. The reason for the difference in reported ages may be due to volcanic gas emission prior to the huge eruption.

scholarly journals A Protocol for Radiocarbon Dating Tropical Subfossil Cave Guano

Radiocarbon ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 977-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M Wurster ◽  
Michael I Bird ◽  
Ian Bull ◽  
Charlotte Bryant ◽  
Philippa Ascough
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Saturated Hydrocarbon ◽  
Lipid Fraction ◽  
Bulk Sample ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Organic Fractions ◽  
Age Determinations

We present accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates on several organic fractions isolated from tropical guano deposits recovered from insular Southeast Asia. Differences were observed between 14C measurements made on bulk guano as well as bulk lipids, the saturated hydrocarbon fraction, solvent-extracted guano, and insect cuticles extracted from the same bulk sample. We infer that 14C dates from the bulk lipid fraction and saturated hydrocarbon fractions can be variably contaminated by exogenous carbon. In contrast, 14C measurements on solvent-extracted guano and isolated insect cuticles appear to yield the most robust age determinations.

scholarly journals Radiocarbon Dating of Fourteen Dead Sea Scrolls

Radiocarbon ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 843-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Bonani ◽  
Susan Ivy ◽  
Willy Wölfli ◽  
Magen Broshi ◽  
Israel Carmi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Dead Sea Scrolls ◽  
Dead Sea ◽  
Direct Information ◽  
Western Shore ◽  
The Dead

The name Dead Sea Scrolls refers to some 1200 manuscripts found in caves in the hills on the western shore of the Dead Sea during the last 45 years. They range in size from small fragments to complete books from the holy scriptures (the Old Testament). The manuscripts also include uncanonized sectarian books, letters and commercial documents, written on papyrus and parchment. In only a few cases, direct information on the date of writing was found in the scrolls. In all other cases, the dating is based on indirect archaeological and paleographical evidence. To check this evidence, radiocarbon ages of 14 selected scrolls were determined using accelerator mass spectrometry. The calibrated radiocarbon ages agree well, except in one case, with the paleographic estimates or the specific dates noted on the scrolls.

scholarly journals AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Tianma-Qucun Site in Shanxi, China

Radiocarbon ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (2B) ◽  
pp. 1109-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyu Guo ◽  
Kexin Liu ◽  
Xiangyang Lu ◽  
Hongji Ma ◽  
Kun Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Bayesian Analysis ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Lower Boundary ◽  
Historical Record ◽  
Shanxi Province ◽  
Ams Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Western Zhou ◽  
Calibration Program

Tianma-Qucun is the biggest site of Western Zhou Dynasty discovered in Shanxi Province, China. It has been recognized as the early capital of Jin, a vassal state of Western Zhou. The territories were granted to the first Marquis of Jin with the title in the early days of Western Zhou. Bone sample series from the site were radiocarbon-dated by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and calibrated with the Oxford calibration program OxCal 3.5. Bayesian analysis of the calibrated ages shows that the earliest residents of the Western Zhou came to Tianma-Qucun area in 1020–940 BC and the lower boundary of the Western Zhou is 796–754 BC, which corresponds well to the historical record 770 BC.

scholarly journals AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Wood Samples from the Angkor Monuments, Cambodia

Radiocarbon ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Uchida ◽  
O Cunin ◽  
I Shimoda ◽  
Y Takubo ◽  
T Nakagawa
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Ams Radiocarbon Dating

In the Angkor monuments of Cambodia, pieces of wood remain (as head frames of doorways, crossbeams, ceiling boards, etc.) in the following 8 monuments: Bakong, Lolei, Baksei Chamkrong, North Khleang, Angkor Wat, Banteay Kdei, Bayon, and Gates of Angkor Thorn. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating carried out on 15 wood samples collected from the above 8 monuments revealed that most of the wood samples are original, except for the head frame of a doorway in Baksei Chamkrong, the ceiling boards in the northwest tower, and a crossbeam with pivot hole in the southwest tower of the Inner Gallery of Angkor Wat. The 14C age for the head frame of a doorway in the inner wall under the central tower of North Khleang supports the hypothesis that the inner walls are additions from a later period.

scholarly journals Radiocarbon Dating of Iron: A Northern Contribution

Radiocarbon ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 873-881 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Oinonen ◽  
G Haggren ◽  
A Kaskela ◽  
M Lavento ◽  
V Palonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Reference Material ◽  
Carbon Content ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Age Determination ◽  
Smelting Process ◽  
Iron Smelting ◽  
Elemental Analyses

The iron dating project Aikarauta has been launched in Finland. This paper presents the results of the preliminary investigations. The ability for radiocarbon measurement by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) of iron in Finland has been demonstrated by using coal-produced iron as reference material. An elemental analyzer has been harnessed to measure the carbon content of small iron samples. In addition, we have hypothesized that a fingerprint of the limestone usage in the smelting process is the high Ca content of iron and slag. This has been examined by performing an iron smelting experiment with limestone as flux, by making elemental analyses of ingredients and the resulting slag and iron, and by a 14C analysis of the produced iron. It is possible that limestone dilutes the 14C contents of the produced iron, making its age determination challenging.

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