Radiocarbon dating and the Naqada relative chronology

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In all 91 results were collated, of which 67 were employed by Dee et al. (2013), and another 16 are unpublished data from the same research programme; the remaining 8 results came from a study of Minshat Abu Omar published by Kroeper (2003).

“In all 91 results were collated, of which 67 were employed by of Dee et al. (2013), and another 16 are unpublished data from the same research programme. The remaining 8 results came from a study of Minshat Abu Omar published by Kroeper (2003).”

• cites Dee et al. (2013) sourceCould not verify

  The Experimental set-up reports a dataset of 186 radiocarbon dates, but does not identify the 67 results said to have been used in the citing document’s collation. Searches for 67, the 16 unpublished results, and Minshat Abu Omar found no passage establishing those figures or their relationship to this paper. The total of 186 does not rule out a 67-result subset. (LLM, conf=0.72)

  Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
• cites Kroeper (2003)Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

In order for 14C measurements to be converted to calendrical dates, they need to be compared with a calibration curve.

“in order for 14 C measurements to be converted to calendrical dates, they need to be compared with a reference dataset known as a calibration curve (see Bronk Ramsey 2006; Reimer et al. 2009).”

• cites Bronk Ramsey 2006 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites Reimer et al. 2009 sourceSupported

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Table 4 shows that 19 good-quality 14C dates were obtained for phases IC, IIA and IIB from a range of different sites.

“Table 4 shows that 19 good-­-quality 14 C dates were obtained for phases IC, IIA and IIB from a range of different sites.”

May combine two claims.

The average date for phase IIC is clearly older than the averages for IID, IIIA1 and IIIA2, with IIIA2 being the youngest of the four.

“The average date for phase IIC is clearly older than the averages for IID, IIIA1 and IIIA2, with the latter being the youngest of the four (Table 4).”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The 14C samples are correctly assigned to their Naqada phases.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

It is not known how synchronous the cultural transitions of the Predynastic were across Egypt; even if the system is correctly ordered, it is likely that some locations led or lagged behind others.

“it is not known how synchronous the cultural transitions of the Predynastic were across Egypt. Indeed, even if the system is correctly ordered, it is likely that some locations led or lagged behind others.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Extending the Naqada system to habitation contexts involves an additional step away from the system's evidence base, so such results were deemed inadmissible.

“extending the system to habitation contexts involves an additional step away from the system's evidence base, so these results were deemed inadmissible for our study.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Testing the Naqada chronology at the implied level of resolution would require absolute dates of decadal or even annual precision.

“Testing the chronology at the implied level of resolution (the whole Naqada period is thought not to exceed a millennium) would require absolute dates of decadal or even annual precision.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The whole Naqada period does not exceed a millennium.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Bayesian analysis of relative chronology generally begins with the assumption that the relative ordering is correct a priori.

“such analysis generally begins with the assumption the relative ordering is correct a priori .”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Discrepancies arising from material history can be mitigated by careful sample selection and measuring more than one type of material from the same context.

“discrepancies arising in this manner can be mitigated by careful sample selection and measuring more than one type of material from the same context.”

May combine two claims.

Data were found for every phase from IB to IIIA2, but none specifically for phases IA or IIIB that matched the criteria.

“Data were found for every phase from IB to IIIA2, but none specifically for phases IA or IIIB that matched the criteria given above.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

The validity of the Naqada sequence has implications well beyond the field of Egyptian archaeology.

“because it was the forerunner of all typological chronologies, the validity of the Naqada sequence has implications well beyond the field of Egyptian archaeology.”

May combine two claims.

14C dates represent the age of the organics found in association with the pottery, and hence depend on the material history of the former and not the latter.

“they represent the age of the organics found in association with the pottery, and hence depend on the material history of the former and not the latter (see Dee et al. 2012, for examples of inappropriate sample materials).”

• cites Dee et al. 2012 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: 14C dates can only be obtained on biogenic materials, not on the ceramics upon which the Naqada relative dating system is based.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Materials with minimal inbuilt age and excellent certainty of association were prioritised.

“we prioritised materials that exhibited minimal inbuilt age and excellent certainty of association (see Waterbolk 1971; Dee et al. 2012).”

• cites Waterbolk 1971 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites Dee et al. 2012 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

May combine two claims.

The Naqada relative chronology is incongruous with new archaeological evidence in several respects, including absence of whole classes of ceramics, local stylistic and compositional variations, and differences in object clustering.

“Problems have included the absence of whole classes of ceramics, local stylistic and compositional variations, and differences in object clustering (Friedman 1994; Hendrickx 2006; Wengrow 2006).”

• cites Friedman 1994Not checked — no full text of the source
• cites Hendrickx 2006 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites Wengrow 2006Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Assignments made by Dr Stan Hendrickx were utilised wherever possible; otherwise those made by original excavators were used.

“We utilised assignments made by the foremost scholar in the field, Dr Stan Hendrickx, wherever possible. Otherwise, those made by the original excavators were used.”

May combine two claims.

Directly comparing the age of individual contexts, or the ordering of specific artefacts, requires wholly independent measurement.

“Directly comparing the age of individual contexts, or the ordering of specific artefacts, requires wholly independent measurement.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The initial dataset comprised all the 14C results available for Predynastic funerary contexts.

“Our initial dataset comprised all the 14 C results available for Predynastic funerary contexts.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Where the assignment was too vague to fit within either the Conventional or Simplified relative sequence, the 14C result could not be used.

“Where the assignment was too vague to fit within either the Conventional or Simplified relative sequence, the 14 C result could not be used.”

May combine two claims.

The relative assignments for 7 of the remaining samples were too imprecise to fit the Simplified chronology, and 9 further assignments were too broad for the individual phases of the Conventional sequence.

“The relative assignments for 7 of the remaining samples were too imprecise to fit the Simplified chronology, and 9 further assignments were too broad for the individual phases of the Conventional sequence.”

The quote only partly states this claim.

The ordering of the Conventional Naqada chronology is much less secure than the ordering of the Simplified chronology.

“The ordering of the Conventional Naqada chronology is much less secure.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The 14C samples are correctly assigned to their Naqada phases.

May combine two claims.

The concurrence of the 14C evidence with the ordering of the Simplified Naqada chronology holds for Egypt as a whole, as well as for the site of Naqada and Ballas specifically.

“This statement holds for Egypt as a whole, as well as for the site of Naqada and Ballas, specifically.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The 14C samples are correctly assigned to their Naqada phases.
• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The samples analysed are representative of the phases across Egypt.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

An Outlier probability of 5% was applied to all samples to minimise the impact of any spurious results.

“An Outlier probability of 5% was applied to all samples to minimise the impact of any spurious results.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Nine dates were removed from the dataset as a result of the Sample Quality criterion and 4 further results, on wood and charcoal, to comply with the Inbuilt Age requirement.

“Nine dates were removed from the dataset as a result of the Sample Quality criterion above and 4 further results, on wood and charcoal, to comply with the Inbuilt Age requirement.”