Radiocarbon dating: avoiding errors by avoiding mixed samples
Abstract
Chronology and its refinement continues to be important, especially in the methods by which the dates are actually achieved. Here, the question of whether single object/bone samples provide more accurate dates than mixed samples is debated, and applied to samples from prehistoric Scotland. In an appendix, the recent radiocarbon dating of samples from within the Calanais stone circle on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, opens up further debate on phasing and occupation.
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Wood charcoal or wood is recognized to be less accurate because of the well-known old wood effect.
“Wood charcoal or wood is recognized to be less accurate because of the well-known”
From Chronology of the Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant: New Analysis for a High Chronology (2012) · cites this paper as Ashmore 1999
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Chronology of the Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant: New Analysis for a High Chronology
Regev, J., De Miroschedji, P., Greenberg, R., Braun, E., Greenhut, Z., & Boaretto, E. (2012) · Radiocarbon · doi:10.1017/s003382220004724x · Cited by 209 · see citing works
IntCal20 Tree Rings: An Archaeological Swot Analysis
Bayliss, A., Marshall, P., Dee, M. W., Friedrich, M., Heaton, T. J., & Wacker, L. (2020) · Radiocarbon · doi:10.1017/rdc.2020.77 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Bourke, S., Zoppi, U., Meadows, J., Hua, Q., & Gibbins, S. (2004) · Radiocarbon · doi:10.1017/s003382220003962x · Cited by 31 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ashmore, P. J.
- Affiliations
- Historic Environment Scotland (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Ashmore, P. J.
- Venue
- Antiquity
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1999-03
- Volume
- 73
- Issue
- 279
- Pages
- 124-130
- ISSN
- 0003-598X (ISSN-L)
- 1745-1744
- OpenAlex
- W2467677599
- Cited by
- 134
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 3.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Antiquity (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Archaeological and Geological Studies
- Keywords
- radiocarbon dating, mixed samples, sample contamination, prehistoric Scotland, Isle of Lewis, radiocarbon chronology, phasing, occupation
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