AMS 14C age determinations of Rapanui (Easter Island) wood sculpture: moai kavakava ET 48.63 from Brussels

Antiquity ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (289) ◽  
pp. 529-532
Author(s):  
F. Forment ◽  
D. Huyge ◽  
H. Valladas
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Easter Island ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
14C Age ◽  
Wood Sculpture ◽  
Age Determinations

Direct dating, using the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) 14C method, of a wooden moai kavakava (anthropomorphic woodcarving) in the collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels has given a date of about cal AD 1390–1480. As there are reasons to believe that this age not only regards the raw material but also the carving itself, preserved examples of Easter Island wood sculpture may be much older than previously assumed and possibly contemporaneous with the giant monolithic sculpture of the first half of the 2nd millennium AD.

Dating Egypt's oldest ‘art’: AMS 14C age determinations of rock varnishes covering petroglyphs at El-Hosh (Upper Egypt)

Antiquity ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (287) ◽  
pp. 68-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Huyge ◽  
A. Watchman ◽  
M. De Dapper ◽  
E. Marchi
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Rock Art ◽  
Nile Valley ◽  
Upper Egypt ◽  
14C Age ◽  
Age Determinations

Direct dating, using the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) 14C method, indicates that some petroglyphs (rock art) at El-Hosh in Upper Egypt pre-date the early 7th millennium BP (mid 6th millennium cal BC), making it the oldest graphic activity recorded in the Nile Valley.

scholarly journals Ams 14C Age Determinations of Tissue, Bone and Grass Samples from the Ötztal Ice Man

Radiocarbon ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Bonani ◽  
Susan D. Ivy ◽  
Irena Hajdas ◽  
Thomas R. Niklaus ◽  
Martin Suter
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
14C Age ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Age Determinations

14C ages of samples from the Ötztal Ice Man, found on the Hauslabjoch in the Tyrolean Alps in September 1991, were determined using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Uncalibrated 14C ages of 4555 ± 34 bp, 4560 ± 65 bp and 4535 ± 60 bp were measured on tissue (mean of four samples), bone and grass, respectively, from the Ice Man. The mean of all of our measurements is 4550 ± 27 bp.

scholarly journals Cazadores recolectores tempranos, supervivencia de fauna del pleistoceno (equus sp. y glyptodon sp.) y tecnologia lítica durante el holoceno temprano en la frontera Uruguay-Brasil

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Suárez ◽  
Guaciara M. Santos
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
South America ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Lithic Technology ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Human Adaptation ◽  
14C Age ◽  
Lithic Artifacts ◽  
In The Beginning

On this paper we show records of Pleistocene fauna from the archaeological site of PayPaso 1, located near of the Quarai River. On this site we recovered two extinct species, Equus sp. (ancient horse) e Glyptodon sp. (giant armadillo), direct associated with lithic artifacts. Our results indicate that these extinct mammals lived in the beginning of the Holocene (9,600 – 9,100 years 14C BP), based on nine 14C age results obtained by AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) measurements. In this work, these results are compared with others in South America. Human adaptation, lithic technology, Pleistocene fauna extinction and climate change at the transition between Pleistocene-Holocene are also discussed.

Misunderstandings Concerning the Significance of AMS Background 14C Measurements

Radiocarbon ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 727-749
Author(s):  
R E Taylor ◽  
John R Southon ◽  
Guaciara M Santos
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Time Scale ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
General Validity ◽  
General Audience ◽  
Background Levels ◽  
Age Determinations

ABSTRACTWe consider one misconception of those who currently reject the general validity of radiocarbon (14C) age determinations older than, at most, 10,000 BP. There is an allegation that the presence of 14C reported by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) laboratories in their measurements of 14C infinite age (>100,000 years) organics used to define background levels, support their point of view. This article has been written for a general audience, primarily for those who have questions about the validity of these arguments. However, they may not be familiar with the literature relevant to providing a clear response to the claims of these individuals. We conclude that, in our view, of all of the possible explanations for the reports of the presence of 14C in these background samples, the least probable explanation has been advanced by those rejecting the validity of the 14C time scale in excess of, at most, 10,000 BP.

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.

Radiocarbon and Protein Analyses Indicate an Early Holocene Age for the Osseous Rod from Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 782-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Ives ◽  
Duane Froese ◽  
Matthew Collins ◽  
Fiona Brock
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
North America ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Long Bone ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Made In ◽  
Do So

AbstractThe Grenfell bone rod resembles other instances of Clovis-era organic or osseous technology and has on a number of occasions been considered with other Clovis bone, antler, and ivory rods or beveled artifacts. It had been suspected of being constructed from proboscidean long bone. As an early discovery (made in 1883), the Grenfell artifact had somewhat obscure provenience details and a lengthy curatorial history. We describe accelerator mass spectrometry and zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry methods that allow rapid, minimally destructive determinations of both the age and the raw material composition of osseous artifacts. Our analysis reveals that the Grenfell artifact is actually a terminal Paleoindian-era manifestation made of bison bone. Similar methods could be more widely applied in North America in order to build more refined data sets for osseous technologies. These results also reveal the ease with which archaeologists can secure additional information from existing collections, highlighting our ethical obligations to do so.

scholarly journals Counting Statistics and Ion Interval Density in AMS

Radiocarbon ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 1103-1109 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S Vogel ◽  
Ted Ognibene ◽  
Magnus Palmblad ◽  
Paula Reimer
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Counting Statistics ◽  
Random Nature ◽  
Radiocarbon Calibration ◽  
Age Determinations

Confidence in the precisions of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and decay measurements must be comparable for the application of the radiocarbon calibration to age determinations using both technologies. We confirmed the random nature of the temporal distribution of 14C ions in an AMS spectrometer for a number of sample counting rates and properties of the sputtering process. The temporal distribution of ion counts was also measured to confirm the applicability of traditional counting statistics.

scholarly journals Marine Turtle Bones from an Archaeological Site in Polynesia Yield Reliable Age Determinations

Radiocarbon ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
T S Dye
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Ams Dating ◽  
Age Determinations

Accelerator mass spectrometry dating of three 50g samples of marine turtle bone from the basal cultural stratum of the Tongoleleka archaeological site, Lifuka Island, Kingdom of Tonga, South Pacific yields results that agree with conventional 14C dates on marine shell. A method for calibrating these dates that takes into account the long distance migrations of marine turtles in the South Pacific is proposed. A sample size greater than 50g is recommended for routine AMS dating of marine turtle bone.

scholarly journals New 14C Dates for the Early Natufian of El-Wad Terrace, Mount Carmel, Israel

Radiocarbon ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 813-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Weinstein-Evron ◽  
Reuven Yeshurun ◽  
Daniel Kaufman ◽  
Eileen Eckmeier ◽  
Elisabetta Boaretto
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Southern Levant ◽  
Radiocarbon Age ◽  
Cultural Affiliation ◽  
The Core ◽  
Integral Role ◽  
First Results ◽  
Age Determinations ◽  
Good Agreement

The Natufian culture of the southern Levant played an integral role in the transition from simple huntergatherers to food-producing societies of the Neolithic, but the major Natufian hamlets are currently poorly dated. Moreover, none of these complex, continuously occupied base camps have delivered an adequate number of dates to enable an in-depth delineation of intra-Natufian developments. This paper presents the first results of our dating program at el-Wad terrace, Mount Carmel (Israel), one of the major Natufian hamlets of the “core area” of this culture. Thirteen accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon age determinations were obtained from 46 bone (both ungulate and human) and charcoal samples, originating in Early Natufian living surfaces, dwellings, and burials. The obtained dates are largely in agreement with the cultural affiliation of the samples (13–15 kyr cal BP). Two series of dates from different locations show good agreement with the stratigraphy. The ages of the burials clearly point to their being younger than the living surfaces seemingly associated with them. Presently, no burials may be linked with the major architectural phase of Early Natufian el-Wad. Our ongoing dating program and the processing of additional samples from refined contexts will help shed important light on the initial phases of the Natufian culture, habitation duration, intensity, and continuity, as well as the relationships between site features and stratigraphy.

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