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Cited by 14Archaeology and ancient environmental studiesAncient Egypt and ArchaeologyAncient and Medieval Archaeology Studies

Towards an AMS radiocarbon chronology of Predynastic Egyptian ceramics

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Savage, Stephen H·2001·Radiocarbon
DOI 10.1017/s0033822200038534
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Abstract

The wide and varied connections between Israel and Egypt during the Early Bronze Age/Predynastic are frequently calibrated through ceramics that depend to a large degree on two seriation methods developed for Predynastic Egypt. Petrie's seriation technique and Kaiser's Stufe dating method utilize whole forms from mortuary contexts. Because of the ways they were developed and deployed in Predynastic research, a logical tautology exists that makes their usage highly problematic. Radiocarbon dating of the Predynastic is vital if we are to untangle existing ceramic chronologies. But up to now, almost all 14 C dates have come from domestic contexts where whole vessels are not usually found and which differ significantly from cemeteries in their ceramic assemblages. A 14 C-based chronology of whole forms in the Petrie Corpus is thus highly desirable, but has proven elusive until now. Samples of organic materials and Black-Topped Red Ware vessels from over 100 graves in the Predynastic Cemetery, N7000, at Naga-ed-Dêr have recently been submitted for dating with AMS methods, providing the first comprehensive 14 C chronology of a Predynastic cemetery. The results are compared to a suite of recalibrated dates from Upper Egyptian Predynastic domestic contexts, which allows the 14 C chronology for the region to be further refined. Absolute date ranges for a number of ceramic forms can be estimated for the first time, and results of early analysis are discussed.

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Authors
Savage, S. H.
Affiliations
Arizona State University (US)
Corresponding author
Savage, Stephen H
Venue
Radiocarbon
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2001
Volume
43
Issue
3
Pages
1255-1277
ISSN
  • 0033-8222 (ISSN-L)
  • 1945-5755
DOI
10.1017/s0033822200038534
OpenAlex
W2476188430
Cited by
14
References
0
Citations by year
2023: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
FWCI
2.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 5677 d)
Locations
  • Radiocarbon (publishedVersion)
  • UA Campus Repository (The University of Arizona) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (9973067)
  • Arizona State University
  • Aarhus Universitet
  • University of South Carolina
  • Cairo University
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Ancient Egypt and Archaeology
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies
Keywords
Predynastic Egypt, ceramic chronology, AMS radiocarbon dating, Early Bronze Age, Egypt-Israel relations, funerary contexts, Upper Egypt

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