New 14C Dates of Neolithic and Early Metal Period Ceramics in Lithuania

Twenty-three samples of charred food remains, charcoal, burned animals, and human bones from 14 Lithuanian prehistoric sites were dated by radiocarbon as part of a dating project oriented towards renewing the prehistoric ceramics chronology. The new dates modified the dating of ceramic styles by hundreds to a thousand years. Three Textile Ware sherds were dated to 4230–2920 cal BC—the oldest known dates of Textile Ware pottery in the East Baltic. The organic-tempered pointed-bottomed Narva and Combed-like Wares were dated to 3970–3370 cal BC, while Bay Coast Ware (Haffküstenkultur, Rzucewo), including vessels decorated with cord impressions, were dated to 3940–3540 cal BC, i.e. to a period well preceding the Corded Ware/Battle Axe horizon in Europe. Three dates of Globular Amphorae Ware placed the phenomenon directly beyond the Bay Coast chronology, i.e. in 3450–2920 cal BC. Chamotte-tempered Corded Ware from SE Lithuania was dated to 2840–2570 cal BC. The first absolute dating of coarse ware of the Žalioji type pointed to a period of 760–515 cal BC instead of the previously assumed 2nd millennium cal BC. Cremated human bones from urns found at Paveisininkai, Kernavė, and Naudvaris cemeteries were dated to 790–380 cal BC. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates obtained from charred food remains should be treated with a certain caution due to a possible freshwater reservoir effect that has not yet been examined in Lithuania.

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Freshwater Reservoir Effect Variability in Northern Germany

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/s0033822200048001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

pp. 1085-1101 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

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.

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A Review of the Radiocarbon Dates for the Afanasyevo Culture (Central Asia): Shifting Towards the “Shorter” Chronology

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/rdc.2018.70 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 243-263 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Andrey V Poliakov ◽

Svetlana V Svyatko ◽

Nadezhda F Stepanova

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Liquid Scintillation Counting ◽

Liquid Scintillation ◽

Scintillation Counting ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Archaeological Data ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

Over Time ◽

Ams Dates

ABSTRACTThis article provides a summary and in-depth analysis of all existing radiocarbon (14C) dates for the Afanasyevo Culture of the Paleometal period. The previous “long” chronology of the culture was widely criticized and contradicted many archaeological observations. The exceedingly wide ranges of the liquid scintillation counting (LSC) dates from bone samples produced in several laboratories and the systematically older ages for the wood/charcoal samples finally reveal the shortcomings of the conventional “long” chronology. From accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), the Afanasyevo burials of the Altai are dated to the 31st–29th century BC, whereas those of the Middle Yenisei Region to the 29th–25th century BC, which confirms the relatively earlier age of the Altai monuments. The “short” chronology removes the incompatibility of deriving the Afanasyevo Culture from the Yamnaya Culture, which previously appeared “younger” than the Afanasyevo, and also contradictions with the archaeological data. It also explains the small number of sites, the small size of the cemeteries and the lack of the internal periodization. We can now clearly move, from the earlier understanding that the Afanasyevo chronology is too broad, towards a different perception. The new AMS dates only represent a “core” for the Afanasyevo chronology, which cannot be narrowed down, but could be slightly expanded over time.

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Neolithic Massacres: Local Skirmishes or General Warfare in Europe?

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/s0033822200039680 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 377-385 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Eva Maria Wild ◽

Peter Stadler ◽

Annemarie Häußer ◽

Walter Kutschera ◽

Peter Steier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Human Remains ◽

Alternative Interpretation ◽

Human Bone ◽

Single Event ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Human Bones ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Burial Rite

The Neolithic site of Schletz in Lower Austria comprises a fortified settlement from the end of the Linearbandkeramik (LBK) culture. Large numbers of human bones were found at the base of the fortification ditches, and many of the excavated bones and skulls showed evidence of trauma which most likely originates from violence. This remarkable deposit of human remains has been considered evidence for an abrupt end to the Early Neolithic settlement at Schletz. In order to investigate this interpretation, radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements of human bone samples from this site were performed at VERA. The χ2 test of the results from specimens with clearly identified lesions suggests that these may be contemporaneous. Further, it may be concluded that all individuals with evidence of trauma from Schletz were probably the victims of a single event: a massacre at the end of the LBK.Similar evidence is found at Early Neolithic sites at Talheim and Herxheim in the western part of Germany. Analysis of the 14C ages of bones from both sites suggests that the Talheim event may have been coeval with the massacre of Schletz, whereas an event at Herxheim might have happened some time earlier. For Herxheim, the massacre theory is still under discussion, and a change in the burial rite is also considered as an alternative interpretation.

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Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) Dates Confirm Early Zea Mays in the Mississippi River Valley

American Antiquity ◽

10.2307/282461 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 490-498 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Thomas J. Riley ◽

Gregory R. Walz ◽

Charles J. Bareis ◽

Andrew C. Fortier ◽

Kathryn E. Parker

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Zea Mays ◽

Mississippi River ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Stable Carbon Isotope ◽

Mississippi Valley ◽

Middle Woodland ◽

American Bottom ◽

Relative Contribution ◽

Ams Dates

Two accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates obtained from samples of Zea mays from the Holding site, 11MS118, in the American Bottom near East St. Louis, Illinois, establish the presence of maize in the Mississippi Valley between 170 B.C. and A.D. 60. The dates finally establish the occurrence of Middle Woodland maize in Illinois and are the earliest dates thus far for maize east of the Mississippi River. Other reports of early Middle Woodland maize in the Midcontinent region should not be discounted unless AMS dating and other supporting information show the maize to be a contaminant at the site at which it occurs. Recent stable carbon-isotope experiments suggest that the relative contribution of maize to Middle Woodland diets is still an open question.

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Temporal and Spatial Variations in Freshwater 14C Reservoir Effects: Lake Mývatn, Northern Iceland

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/s003382220004618x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 52 (3) ◽

pp. 1098-1112 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

P L Ascough ◽

G T Cook ◽

M J Church ◽

E Dunbar ◽

Á Einarsson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Stable Isotope ◽

Aquatic Plants ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Radioactive Isotopes ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Paired Samples ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

Freshwater Reservoir ◽

Lake Mývatn

Lake Mývatn is an interior highland lake in northern Iceland that forms a unique ecosystem of international scientific importance and is surrounded by a landscape rich in archaeological and paleoenvironmental sites. A significant freshwater reservoir effect (FRE) has been identified in carbon from the lake at some Viking (about AD 870–1000) archaeological sites in the wider region (Mývatnssveit). Previous accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements indicated this FRE was about 1500–1900 14C yr. Here, we present the results of a study using stable isotope and 14C measurements to quantify the Mývatn FRE for both the Viking and modern periods. This work has identified a temporally variable FRE that is greatly in excess of previous assessments. New, paired samples of contemporaneous bone from terrestrial herbivores and omnivores (including humans) from Viking sites demonstrate at least some omnivore diets incorporated sufficient freshwater resources to result in a herbivore-omnivore age offset of up to 400 14C yr. Modern samples of benthic detritus, aquatic plants, zooplankton, invertebrates, and freshwater fish indicate an FRE in excess of 5000 14C yr in some species. Likely geothermal mechanisms for this large FRE are discussed, along with implications for both chronological reconstruction and integrated investigation of stable and radioactive isotopes.

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Radiocarbon Marine Reservoir Effect on the Northwestern Coast of Cuba

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/rdc.2016.59 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 333-341 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

M Diaz ◽

K D Macario ◽

P R S Gomes ◽

L Álvarez-Lajonchere ◽

O Aguilera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Ocean Dynamics ◽

Museum Collection ◽

Reservoir Effect ◽

Mean Values ◽

Regional Component ◽

Northwestern Coast

AbstractThe regional component (∆R) of the marine reservoir effect (MRE), which is crucial for the accurate calibration of radiocarbon ages of marine-influenced samples, was determined for the Cuban northwestern coast. Fifteen different locations were studied by 14C dating of pre-bomb known-age marine shells specimens of bivalves and gastropods from the Felipe Poey Museum collection. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C measurements were performed at the Radiocarbon Laboratory of the Universidade Federal Fluminense (LAC-UFF) and mean ΔR values were estimated. The distribution of results indicates ∆R values from −46±38 to 140±52 14C yr and a possible pattern related to the position along the coast and ocean dynamics. We present both mean values for each region and a general ∆R of 28±13 14C yr for the northwestern coast of Cuba.

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Radiocarbon Dating of Wood Using Different Pretreatment Procedures: Application to the Chronology of Rotoehu Ash, New Zealand

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/s0033822200038066 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 43 (2A) ◽

pp. 239-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

G M Santos ◽

M I Bird ◽

B Pillans ◽

L K Fifield ◽

B V Alloway ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

New Zealand ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Radiocarbon Dating ◽

Wet Oxidation ◽

Acid Base ◽

Acid Pretreatment ◽

Age Range ◽

Ams Dates

We compare radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) ages of wood samples subjected to a conventional acid-base-acid pretreatment with stepped combustion (ABA-SC) with results from the same samples subjected to an acid-base-wet oxidation pretreatment with stepped combustion (ABOX-SC) and cellulose extraction with stepped combustion (CE-SC). The ABOX-SC procedure has been shown previously to lead to lower backgrounds for old charcoal samples. Analyses of relatively uncontaminated “14C-dead” samples of wood suggest that backgrounds of 0.11 ± 0.04 pMC are obtainable for both the ABOX-SC and ABA-SC procedures. Where wood is significantly contaminated the ABOX-SC technique provides significantly better decontamination than either the ABA-SC technique or cellulose extraction alone, although CE-SC can produce comparably low backgrounds to the ABOX-SC procedure.We also report the application of the ABOX-SC, ABA-SC and CE-SC procedures to wood samples associated with the chronologically controversial Rotoehu Ash eruption, New Zealand. New 14C-AMS dates from wood sampled from below the Rotoehu Ash span an age range of 43–50 ka BP consistent with recently presented OSL dates of 42–44 ka obtained for palaeosols beneath the ash.

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Radiocarbon and Stratigraphic Chronology of Canímar Abajo, Matanzas, Cuba

Radiocarbon ◽

10.2458/azu_rc.57.18313 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 755-763 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Mirjana Roksandic ◽

William Mark Buhay ◽

Yadira Chinique de Armas ◽

Roberto Rodríguez Suárez ◽

Matthew C Peros ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Cultural Context ◽

Human Bone ◽

Bone Collagen ◽

Caribbean Region ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Shell Matrix ◽

The Caribbean ◽

Ams Dates

Twelve accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates from the shell-matrix site of Canímar Abajo (Matanzas, Cuba) are reported. Eleven were obtained directly from human bone collagen in burials and one was obtained from charcoal recovered from a burial context. The site stratigraphy presents two episodes of burial activity separated by a shell midden layer. The AMS dates fall into two compact clusters that correlate remarkably well with the stratigraphy. The older burial dates to between 1380–800 cal BC (2σ) and the younger one to between cal AD 360–950 (2σ). The AMS dates are compared to eight conventional 14C dates previously obtained on shell and charcoal. One of the conventional dates on charcoal (5480–5380 cal BC; 2σ) has been reported as the oldest 14C date in the Caribbean region; its context and reliability are clarified. The suite of AMS dates provides one of the most reliable chronometric dating of a cultural context during this timeframe in Cuba. The correlation of 14C and stratigraphy establishes a solid chronology for investigating the important economic and ritual features of Canímar Abajo.

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AMS Radiocarbon Dates of Kurgans Located On the Ust'-Yurt Plateau, Uzbekistan

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/s0033822200019743 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 47 (2) ◽

pp. 235-241 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Soren Blau ◽

Vadim Yagodin

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Radiocarbon Dating ◽

Skeletal Remains ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Late Prehistoric ◽

Human Skeletal Remains ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Relative Dating ◽

Ams Dates

Recent osteological analyses of archaeological human skeletal remains from the Ust'-Yurt Plateau, Uzbekistan, provided the opportunity to obtain samples for radiocarbon dating. The results of 18 accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates are presented in this paper and provide the first absolute dates for late prehistoric and early historic archaeological sites in Uzbekistan. The AMS dates suggest that most sites are earlier than have been traditionally thought based on relative dating using artifact typologies.

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Mesolithic Human Bones from the Upper Volga Basin: Radiocarbon and Trace Elements

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/s0033822200055983 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 637-645 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A L Alexandrovskiy ◽

E I Alexandrovskaya ◽

M I Zhilin ◽

J van der Plicht

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Trace Elements ◽

Elemental Composition ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Volga Basin ◽

Cultural Layer ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Upper Volga ◽

Human Bones ◽

And Behavior

Human bones from 3 Mesolithic sites in the Upper Volga basin were analyzed for trace elements, and dated by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The radiocarbon dates of the bones correspond to the Mesolithic era. However, some dates differ from those obtained for the enclosing deposits and for the worked wood fragments in the cultural layer. The elemental composition of the bones is interpreted in terms of increased concentrations of some elements and their impact on human health and behavior.

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