About the age of the oldest passage-graves in western Brittany

Antiquity ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 68 (260) ◽  
pp. 624-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre-Roland Giot ◽  
Dominique Marguerie ◽  
Hervé Morzadec
Keyword(s):  
Organic Material ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Early Passage ◽  
Human Bones

The acid rocks and soils of northwest France are not kind to preservation of organic material. Radiocarbon dating has mostly depended on charcoal, for want of a better dating medium that survives. In Brittany, Finistère can sometimes contribute to the dating of early passage-graves from human bones.

RADIOCARBON DATING OF A LATE ANTIQUE NECROPOLIS FROM FELANITX (MALLORCA, BALEARIC ISLANDS)

Radiocarbon ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
C Mas Florit ◽  
M Á Cau Ontiveros ◽  
M Van Strydonck ◽  
M Boudin ◽  
F Cardona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Area ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Balearic Islands ◽  
Late Antique ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
The Village ◽  
Grave Goods

ABSTRACT The excavation of a building in the village of Felanitx in the eastern part of the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands) has revealed the existence of a small necropolis. The inhumations did not provide grave goods except for a bronze belt buckle for which the typological study suggests a Late Antique chronology. The stratigraphical sequence however seems to suggest a possible evolution of the space across time since some graves are cut by others. In order to obtain an absolute date for the necropolis and to verify if there are chronological differences between the graves, a total of 6 human bones samples have been 14C dated by AMS. The results of the radiocarbon dating confirm a Late Antique chronology (4th to 7th century AD) for the graves but do not suggest a chronological evolution. Despite the fact that the knowledge of the necropolis is still fragmentary, the results are extremely important because they provide an absolute date for a Late Antique necropolis in the Mallorcan rural area.

Aquatic Radiocarbon Reservoir Offsets in the Southeastern Baltic

Radiocarbon ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gytis Piličiauskas ◽  
Carl Heron
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Bronze Age ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Curonian Lagoon ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
Ceramic Vessel ◽  
Pike Perch ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Ams Dates

The aim of this article is to discuss radiocarbon dating offsets due to freshwater and marine reservoir effects (FRE and MRE, respectively) in the southeastern Baltic. Thirty-six 14C dates from Lithuanian coastal and inland Subneolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age sites as well as two Mesolithic-Neolithic cemeteries are presented here. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates, sometimes paired or tripled, have been obtained on samples of various origin, foodcrusts, or visible charred deposits adhering to the surfaces of ceramic vessel walls were also dated and investigated for stable isotope signals. The results argue for a significant freshwater component in the food processed in ceramic vessels during the Subneolithic and Neolithic. Paired dating of ungulate and human bones at the Spiginas and Donkalnis cemeteries (6300–1900 cal BC) does not suggest an FRE, although stable isotope data on human bone collagen strongly suggest a large input of freshwater food in the diet. An FRE in the order of 320–510 yr was estimated for the Šventoji paleolagoon around 3000 cal BC. At the same time, the FRE of the Curonian Lagoon could be larger as implied by large apparent 14C ages of modern pike-perch (981 ± 30 BP) and bream (738 ± 30 BP) bones as well as “foodcrust” offsets (650–530 yr) at Nida (3500–2500 cal BC). An MRE of 190 ± 43 yr was estimated for the southeastern coast of the Littorina Sea according to offsets between dates of seal bones and terrestrial samples at Nida and Šventoji. Any FRE at Lake Kretuonas remains uncertain due to the limited work to date.

Radiocarbon Dates from Bosumpra Cave, Abetifi, Ghana

1975 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 179-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew B. Smith
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Analytical Description ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Moist Forest ◽  
Forest Regions ◽  
Marginal Forest ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of Ghana

In 1940 Professor Thurstan Shaw excavated a trench in the cave known as Bosumpra at Abetifi (6° 41′N:0° 44′W) on the borderline between the moist forest and the northern marginal forest (fig. 1). Bosumpra is one of the four main ‘abosom’ (lesser) gods of the Guan pantheon (Brokenshaw 1966, 156). The report (Shaw, 1944) showed that the cave was formerly inhabited by a people with a pottery-using microlithic culture and provided the first analytical description of the microlithic industries from the forest regions of West Africa. As the site was the first of its kind to be excavated, and the excavation was carried out before the advent of radiocarbon dating, there was no way of knowing what age this industry was, or how long the cave had been occupied, beyond placing it within the rubric of the so-called “Guinea Neolithic”.To attempt to clarify this problem a group of students from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Ghana and myself conducted the excavation of a small witness section (fig. 2) in the cave over New Year 1973/74 with the specific aim of collecting organic material for dating. We were fortunate in finding adequate amounts of charcoal at all levels. Two of these samples were submitted to Rikagaku Kenkyusho, Japan, for dating.

scholarly journals Freshwater Reservoir Effect Variability in Northern Germany

Radiocarbon ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 1085-1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bente Philippsen ◽  
Jan Heinemeier
Keyword(s):  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Potential Problem ◽  
Northern Germany ◽  
Reservoir Effect ◽  
The Past ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
Age Correction ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Freshwater Reservoir ◽  
Reservoir Age

The freshwater reservoir effect is a potential problem when radiocarbon dating fish bones, shells, human bones, or food crusts on pottery from sites near rivers or lakes. The reservoir age in hardwater rivers can be up to several thousand years and may be highly variable. Accurate 14C dating of freshwater-based samples requires knowing the order of magnitude of the reservoir effect and its degree of variability. Measurements on modern riverine materials may not give a single reservoir age correction that can be applied to archaeological samples, but they show the order of magnitude and variability that can also be expected for the past. This knowledge will be applied to the dating of food crusts on pottery from the Mesolithic sites Kayhude at the Alster River and Schlamersdorf at the Trave River, both in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany.

A Reassessment of the Routine Pretreatment Protocol for Radiocarbon Dating Cremated Bones

Radiocarbon ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Snoeck ◽  
Richard A Staff ◽  
Fiona Brock
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Sodium Hypochlorite ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Sodium Chlorite ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Calcined Bone

AbstractIn the late 1990s, it was demonstrated that reliable radiocarbon dates could be obtained directly from cremated bone. Many 14C laboratories have since used a protocol for pretreating cremated (calcined) bones that consists of consecutive treatments with bleach and acetic acid to remove organic matter and extraneous or diagenetic carbonate, respectively. In most instances, the bleach used is sodium hypochlorite, although in recent years the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU) has used acidified sodium chlorite instead. However, properly calcined (white) bones should not contain any organic material; hence, the bleach treatment is potentially unnecessary. This article describes studies investigating the effectiveness of bleach (and the specific bleach used) during pretreatment of calcined bone, and demonstrates that 14C dates on six cremated bone samples are statistically indistinguishable whether or not the initial bleach step is applied.

Zn2Mg Alkaline Phosphatase in an Early Ptolemeic Mummy

1994 ◽  
Vol 49 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 489-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoka Kaup ◽  
Ursula Baumer ◽  
Johann Koller ◽  
Robert E. M. Hedges ◽  
Herbert Werner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alkaline Phosphatase ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Enzymic Activity ◽  
Bone Surface ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
Sds Page ◽  
Aromatic Alcohols ◽  
The Many ◽  
Page Electrophoresis

Bone samples of a ptolemeic mummy have been employed to study the mode of conservation on the intactness of Zn2Mg alkaline phosphatase in both structure and catalytic activity. A protein of Mr = 190 ± 10 kDa being identical to the 200 kDa enzyme of fresh human bones was successfully isolated. Regardless of age 200 kDa protein bands and a distinct sub­ unit at 60 kDa were seen in SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The 200 kDa band was also monitored by activity staining. The specific activity was 120 mU/mg and 65% of the respective activity obtained in the identical preparation using fresh human tibia or rib. The enzymic activity was inhibited in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline and ʟ-homoarginine. Radiocarbon dating supported the assignment of the mummy to the early ptolemeic period. Among the many bactericidal and fungicidal components employed for mummification were aromatic alcohols, mono-and sesquiterpenes. Pistachio resin was the major balm resin used. The microbiological sterility of the bone surface was ascertained by independent bacterial and fungal examinations

scholarly journals Dating Materials in Good Archaeological Contexts: The Next Challenge for Radiocarbon Analysis

Radiocarbon ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 275-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Boaretto
Keyword(s):  
Organic Material ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Careful Attention ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Effective Use

Radiocarbon dating has had an enormous impact on archaeology. Most of the dates are obtained using charred materials and, to a lesser extent, collagen from bones. The contexts in which charred materials and bones are found are often, however, not secure. There are 3 other datable materials that are usually in secure contexts: plaster/mortar, phytoliths, and the organic material in the ceramic of whole vessels. The plaster/mortar of walls and floors are often in very secure contexts. Phytoliths are abundant in archaeological sites and in some situations form well-defined surfaces. Whole vessels are usually found in secure contexts and their typologies are indicative of a specific period. Dating each of these materials has proved to be difficult, and solving these technical problems represents major future challenges for the 14C community. The effective use of charcoal and bone collagen for dating can also be improved by paying careful attention to the micro-contexts in which they are found, such as in clusters or as part of well-defined features. Pre-screening to identify the best preserved material can also contribute to improving the accuracy of the dates obtained. A general objective should be to have an assessment of the quality of the material to be dated so that the potentially invaluable information from outliers can be exploited.

scholarly journals Bomb Radiocarbon Dating of Animal Tissues and Hair

Radiocarbon ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (2B) ◽  
pp. 723-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mebus A Geyh
Keyword(s):  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Geriatric Medicine ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Turnover Time ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Wide Field ◽  
Court Cases ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
One Year ◽  
Growth And Aging

Initially, radiocarbon dating by bomb 14C was used to check vintages of wine and whisky and to estimate the turnover times of carbon in various biological tissues. However, this technique has never been widely used for routine dating, although it has a wide field of application in geriatric medicine and forensic investigations. Fifteen years' experience in this field has shown the potential and limits of this technique. Taking into account the decisive biological factors, such as growth and aging, a complicated picture is obtained. Recent human bones cannot be dated with a constant precision. Despite an incomplete understanding of the process of incorporation of 14C into human bones, the present dating technique is still more precise than most estimates by geriatric experts, for conventional 14C dating follows that 14C dates of bone collagen represent the years of the termination of puberty rather than those of death.Another application is the identification of furs of illegally hunted animals on the “Red List of threatened species” of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). For court cases, the year the animals were killed must be precisely determined. Due to the long and variable turnover time of more than one year of leather hair is the best dating material for animals.

scholarly journals Textiles and environment in the showcase containing Saint Canute the Holy († AD 1086): Radiocarbon dating and chemical interactions

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Poul Grinder-Hansen ◽  
Ulla Kjær ◽  
Morten Ryhl-Svendsen ◽  
Maria Perla Colombini ◽  
Ilaria Degano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Protestant Reformation ◽  
National Museum ◽  
National Importance ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
Air Chemistry ◽  
History Of ◽  
Decaying Wood ◽  
The 19Th Century

Abstract The cathedral in Odense, Denmark, has for nine centuries held the relics of the Danish King St Canute the Holy and his brother Benedikt. They were both murdered in the predecessor church at the site in AD 1086, and Canute was sanctified in already in AD 1100. The history of the relics has been that of turmoil at times, varying from initial worship of the Catholic believers, to being walled up and hidden away after the protestant reformation in AD 1536, and since the 19th Century on display as important heritage objects of national importance. In the present work we have characterised some of the textiles and analysed the air inside the glass showcases exhibiting the 11th Century wooden coffins holding the remains of St King Canute the Holy and his brother together with some precious textiles. Contrary to previous belief, we now prove that all the textiles analysed have the same age, which is consistent with the time of the enshrinement of the King and his brother in AD 1100. It is also shown that some of the textiles were treated with paraffin wax, most likely during attempts at conservation at the National Museum in the nineteenth century. The results of the air chemistry analyses show the problematic side of simultaneously storing of slowly decaying wood, fine textiles, and human bones in rather airtight environments. The wood continuously releases organic acids, the soaring concentrations of which are potentially harmful to the 11th Century textiles and probably also to the bones.

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