Eva Maria Wild
Biographic Data
| ID | 1042692 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Eva Maria Wild |
| GIVEN NAMES | Eva Maria |
| FAMILY NAME | Wild |
| SIGNATURE | WILD E M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Vienna |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9882-8919 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 33 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 233 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 33 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2000 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 11 |
High-precision dating of Abrigo de La Boja (Murcia, Spain)
La Boja is a rock-shelter located in Murcia (Spain) whose c. 7 m infilling spans the last 50,000 years of the Pleistocene. Though punctuated by a few episodes of stasis or erosion, sediment accumulation proceeded at a regular rate, while human occupation was intermittent and light. This pattern allowed for the preservation of 31 well-separated Occupation Horizons whose stratigraphic integrity is demonstrated by stone tool refitting, the pristine …
Radiocarbon Dating of St. George’s Rotunda in Nitrianska Blatnica (Slovakia)
An international consortium of radiocarbon ( 14 C) laboratories was established to date the origin of the St. George’s Rotunda in Nitrianska Blatnica (Slovakia), because its age was not well established in previous investigations. Altogether, 20 samples of wood, charcoal, mortar and plaster were analyzed. The 14 C results obtained from the different laboratories as well as between the different sample types were in good agreement, resulting in a …
Cova de les Malladetes (Valencia, Spain)
New excavations carried out at Cova de les Malladetes confirm and improve previous information on the archaeological sequence of this site. A total of 29 new dates allow to specify the chronology of the Aurignacian (levels XIVA–XII) and Gravettian (levels XI–VII). Furthermore, concerning the results obtained during the 1970 excavation, three new levels were identified: level XIVB, which represents a short temporal human occupation hiatus, and lev…
C Bomb Peak Analysis of African Elephant Tusks and its Relation to Cites
We report on a case study of radiocarbon ( 14 C) measurements applied to three pairs of tusks from African elephants, which were supposedly hunted in the 1960s in Tanzania and/or Kenya. The 14 C results of 1.40 to 1.60 F 14 C fall into 14 C bomb peak values between 1960 and 1975, thus confirming the suspected hunting time. Since the trading of ivory from African elephants killed after 1989 was banned by the international CITES convention, the inv…
Update on the Absolute Chronology of the Migration period in Central Europe (375–568 AD)
The Danube region in Central Europe was one of the areas where several cultures appeared before moving further or being defeated during the Migration Period in the middle of the first millennium AD. The Lombards, who crossed the Danube in 505 AD, settled in the “Tullnerfeld” where the Maria Ponsee graveyard was excavated in 1965–1972. From the historical evidence about the temporal and spatial migration of the Lombards, it was concluded that the …
Applications of Dendrochronology in Northwestern Mexico
Although dendrochronological methods have the potential to provide precise calendar dates, they are virtually absent in Mesoamerican archaeological research. This absence is due to several long-standing, but erroneous, assumptions: that tree rings in this region do not reflect annual growth and environmental variability, that an adequate number of samples do not exist, and that tree-ring measurements cannot be useful without modern trees to link …
Preparation Methods of μg Carbon Samples for 14 C MeasuremenTS
Systematic investigations and experience from several application projects on small carbon samples over a number of years have resulted in measuring the radiocarbon content of 10 μg C samples with an overall precision of typically 1%. A substantial reduction of the carbon contamination during graphitization was achieved, resulting in 31±30 ng modern and 14 C-free carbon. Thus, graphitization is no longer the limiting factor because earlier sample…
D-Reams
The Dangoor REsearch Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (D-REAMS) is a dedicated carbon-only AMS system, built by National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC). It is based on the 1.5SDH Pelletron, operating at 460 keV. The machine was installed at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, in January–February 2013, and passed the acceptance test on March 2013. Since then, over 4500 samples have been successfully measured. Here, we present the re…
The Tyrolean Iceman and His Glacial Environment During the Holocene
This paper summarizes the present knowledge on the variation of summer temperatures in the European Alps throughout the Holocene by combining the results of an extraordinary archaeological find with the information gathered from glacier and tree-line movements. As it turns out, there were several distinct periods were the glaciers were smaller than today, allowing in some periods the growth of trees in areas, which even now are still covered with…
New Evidence for Middle Bronze Age Chronology and Synchronisms in the Levant
We report a set of radiocarbon data for the Middle Bronze Age monumental building at Tell el-Burak in Lebanon, dating it to the 19th century b.c., and summarize the relevant archaeological information concerning the stratigraphy and dating of the building. The radiocarbon data from Tell el-Burak is consistent with the high Middle Bronze Age radiocarbon dates recently reported for Tell el-Dabʿa in the eastern Nile Delta and with radiocarbon dates …
High-precision dendro-14C dating of two cedar wood sequences from First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom Egypt and a small regional climate-related 14C divergence
Second Radiocarbon Intercomparison Program for the Chauvetpont d'Arc Cave, Ardèche, France
The Chauvet-Pont d'Arc Cave is one of the most important sites for the study of the earliest manifestations and development of prehistoric art at the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic. Different dating techniques have been performed thus far (AMS 14 C, U/Th TIMS, 36 Cl dating) to model the chronological framework of this decorated cave. The cave yielded several large charcoal fragments, which enabled the opportunity for obtaining multiple dates;…
Evidence for Early Human Presence at High Altitudes in the Ötztal Alps (Austria/Italy)
The present article reports on the results and interpretation of a total of 235 radiocarbon dates from Alpine sites in the Ötztal region. Out of these, 88 age determinations were performed on equipment and artifacts associated with the Neolithic Iceman (discovered in 1991), and on a variety of plant and animal specimens collected at his discovery site. Since the material was dispersed over a larger area, 14 C dates were important to establish the…
Dating the Thera (Santorini) eruption
The date of the Late Bronze Age Minoan eruption of the Thera volcano has provoked much debate among archaeologists, not least in a recent issue of Antiquity ('Bronze Age catastrophe and modern controversy: dating the Santorini eruption', March 2014). Here, the authors respond to those recent contributions, citing evidence that closes the gap between the conclusions offered by previous typological, stratigraphic and radiometric dating techniques. …
The Chronology of Tell El-Daba
Radiocarbon dating at the Tell el-Daba site in the Nile Delta has created an enigma for many years. Despite great efforts, the difference of about 120 yr between the chronology based on 14 C dates and the one based on archaeological evidence linked to the Egyptian historical chronology has not been solved. In order to foster open discussions on this discrepancy, we present here the results of 40 14 C accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measuremen…
Assessing the uncertainties of δ13C- and δ15N-values determined by EA-IRMS for palaeodietary studies
Radiocarbon-Based Chronology for Dynastic Egypt
Date with the Pharaohs Ancient Egypt dominated the Mediterranean world for several thousand years. However, the absolute chronology of this civilization has been uncertain, even though the sequence of rulers is well documented. Bronk Ramsey et al. (p. 1554 ; see the Perspective by Bruins ) now provide a detailed radiocarbon-based record using more than 200 samples that spans much of this time and reduces uncertainties in some cases to less than 2…
Robust Bayesian Analysis, an Attempt to Improve Bayesian Sequencing
Bayesian sequencing of radiocarbon dates deals with the problem that in most cases there does not exist an unambiguous way to define the so-called prior function, which represents information in addition to the result of the 14 C measurements alone. However, a random choice of a particular prior function can lead to biased results. In this paper, “robust Bayesian analysis,” which uses a whole set of prior functions, is introduced as a more reliab…
Studies on the Preparation of Small 14 C Samples with an RGA and 13 C-Enriched Material
The minimum size of radiocarbon samples for which reliable results can be obtained in an accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurement is in many cases limited by carbon contamination introduced during sample preparation (i.e. all physical and chemical steps to which samples were subjected, starting from sampling). Efforts to reduce the sample size limit down to a few μg carbon require comprehensive systematic investigations to assess the amoun…
C Dating of the Upper Paleolithic Site at Krems-Wachtberg, Austria
In the course of new excavations at the Upper Paleolithic site at Krems-Wachtberg in the loess region near Krems, Lower Austria, a double burial of newborns was discovered in 2005. One year later, a single grave of an infant was excavated nearby. Both graves are associated with the well-preserved living floor of an Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherer camp with distinct archaeological features and a rich Gravettian find assemblage. Several charcoal …
C Dating of the Upper Paleolithic Site at Krems-Hundssteig in Lower Austria
The open-air archaeological site at Krems-Hundssteig is a well-known Upper Paleolithic site located in Lower Austria. The site was discovered in the late 19th/early 20th centuries when a large number of archaeological remains were collected during the course of loess quarrying. Although no systematic excavation has ever been performed, Krems-Hundssteig has been described since its discovery as typical of the Aurignacian period in this region base…
C Dating of Early Upper Palaeolithic Human and Faunal Remains from Mladeč
Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700-1400 B.C.
Radiocarbon (carbon-14) data from the Aegean Bronze Age 1700–1400 B.C. show that the Santorini (Thera) eruption must have occurred in the late 17th century B.C. By using carbon-14 dates from the surrounding region, cultural phases, and Bayesian statistical analysis, we established a chronology for the initial Aegean Late Bronze Age cultural phases (Late Minoan IA, IB, and II). This chronology contrasts with conventional archaeological dates and c…
Radiocarbon Determination of Particulate Organic Carbon in Non-Temperated, Alpine Glacier Ice
Dating ice samples from glaciers via radiocarbon is a challenge that requires systematic investigations. This work describes an approach for extraction and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14 C analysis of the particulate organic carbon (POC) fraction in glacier ice samples. Measurements were performed at VERA (Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator) on ice samples obtained mainly from the non-temperated ablation zone of the Grenzgletscher …
Direct dating of Early Upper Palaeolithic human remains from Mladeč
Age Determination of Fossil Bones from the Vindija Neanderthal Site in Croatia
Vindija cave in Croatia is famous for the Neanderthal bones found in layer G of its sediment profile. Radiocarbon dating has been performed mainly on this layer due to the great interest in its fossils. In addition to Neanderthal remains, the sediment in layer G contains bones from the cave bear. Cave bear bones are found also in other layers of the sediment profile and offer the possibility of studying the bears' evolutionary mode. Therefore, we…
C Dating of the Upper Paleolithic Site at Krems-Hundssteig in Lower Austria
The open-air archaeological site at Krems-Hundssteig is a well-known Upper Paleolithic site located in Lower Austria. The site was discovered in the late 19th/early 20th centuries when a large number of archaeological remains were collected during the course of loess quarrying. Although no systematic excavation has ever been performed, Krems-Hundssteig has been described since its discovery as typical of the Aurignacian period in this region base…
Pushing the Precision Limit of 14 C AMS
High precision for radiocarbon cannot be reached without profound insight into the various sources of uncertainty which only can be obtained from systematic investigations. In this paper, we present a whole series of investigations where in some cases 16 O: 17 O: 18 O served as a substitute for 12 C: 13 C: 14 C. This circumvents the disadvantages of event counting, providing more precise results in a much shorter time. As expected, not a single e…
The Chronology of Tell El-Daba
Radiocarbon dating at the Tell el-Daba site in the Nile Delta has created an enigma for many years. Despite great efforts, the difference of about 120 yr between the chronology based on 14 C dates and the one based on archaeological evidence linked to the Egyptian historical chronology has not been solved. In order to foster open discussions on this discrepancy, we present here the results of 40 14 C accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measuremen…
C Dating of the Upper Paleolithic Site at Krems-Wachtberg, Austria
In the course of new excavations at the Upper Paleolithic site at Krems-Wachtberg in the loess region near Krems, Lower Austria, a double burial of newborns was discovered in 2005. One year later, a single grave of an infant was excavated nearby. Both graves are associated with the well-preserved living floor of an Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherer camp with distinct archaeological features and a rich Gravettian find assemblage. Several charcoal …
D-Reams
The Dangoor REsearch Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (D-REAMS) is a dedicated carbon-only AMS system, built by National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC). It is based on the 1.5SDH Pelletron, operating at 460 keV. The machine was installed at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, in January–February 2013, and passed the acceptance test on March 2013. Since then, over 4500 samples have been successfully measured. Here, we present the re…
Neolithic Massacres
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 …
Cova de les Malladetes (Valencia, Spain)
New excavations carried out at Cova de les Malladetes confirm and improve previous information on the archaeological sequence of this site. A total of 29 new dates allow to specify the chronology of the Aurignacian (levels XIVA–XII) and Gravettian (levels XI–VII). Furthermore, concerning the results obtained during the 1970 excavation, three new levels were identified: level XIVB, which represents a short temporal human occupation hiatus, and lev…
High-precision dendro-14C dating of two cedar wood sequences from First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom Egypt and a small regional climate-related 14C divergence
Second Radiocarbon Intercomparison Program for the Chauvetpont d'Arc Cave, Ardèche, France
The Chauvet-Pont d'Arc Cave is one of the most important sites for the study of the earliest manifestations and development of prehistoric art at the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic. Different dating techniques have been performed thus far (AMS 14 C, U/Th TIMS, 36 Cl dating) to model the chronological framework of this decorated cave. The cave yielded several large charcoal fragments, which enabled the opportunity for obtaining multiple dates;…
Dating the Thera (Santorini) eruption
The date of the Late Bronze Age Minoan eruption of the Thera volcano has provoked much debate among archaeologists, not least in a recent issue of Antiquity ('Bronze Age catastrophe and modern controversy: dating the Santorini eruption', March 2014). Here, the authors respond to those recent contributions, citing evidence that closes the gap between the conclusions offered by previous typological, stratigraphic and radiometric dating techniques. …
Applications of Dendrochronology in Northwestern Mexico
Although dendrochronological methods have the potential to provide precise calendar dates, they are virtually absent in Mesoamerican archaeological research. This absence is due to several long-standing, but erroneous, assumptions: that tree rings in this region do not reflect annual growth and environmental variability, that an adequate number of samples do not exist, and that tree-ring measurements cannot be useful without modern trees to link …
Radiocarbon Determination of Particulate Organic Carbon in Non-Temperated, Alpine Glacier Ice
Dating ice samples from glaciers via radiocarbon is a challenge that requires systematic investigations. This work describes an approach for extraction and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14 C analysis of the particulate organic carbon (POC) fraction in glacier ice samples. Measurements were performed at VERA (Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator) on ice samples obtained mainly from the non-temperated ablation zone of the Grenzgletscher …
C Bomb Peak Analysis of African Elephant Tusks and its Relation to Cites
We report on a case study of radiocarbon ( 14 C) measurements applied to three pairs of tusks from African elephants, which were supposedly hunted in the 1960s in Tanzania and/or Kenya. The 14 C results of 1.40 to 1.60 F 14 C fall into 14 C bomb peak values between 1960 and 1975, thus confirming the suspected hunting time. Since the trading of ivory from African elephants killed after 1989 was banned by the international CITES convention, the inv…
Preparation Methods of μg Carbon Samples for 14 C MeasuremenTS
Systematic investigations and experience from several application projects on small carbon samples over a number of years have resulted in measuring the radiocarbon content of 10 μg C samples with an overall precision of typically 1%. A substantial reduction of the carbon contamination during graphitization was achieved, resulting in 31±30 ng modern and 14 C-free carbon. Thus, graphitization is no longer the limiting factor because earlier sample…
A 14 C Calibration with AMS from 3500 to 3000 BC, Derived from A New High-Elevation Stone-Pine Tree-Ring Chronology
High-precision radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements of a new high-altitude stone-pine tree-ring chronology from the European Alps were performed for a 500-yr stretch in the second half of the 4th millennium BC. A 14 C calibration curve with a typical 1-σ uncertainty of about 20 14 C yr was achieved. Although the general agreement of our data set with INTCAL98 is very good (confirming once more that INTCAL98 is also proper …
New Chronological Frame for the Young Neolithic Baden Culture in Central Europe (4th Millennium BC)
The Baden Culture is a widely spread culture of the Young Neolithics in east-central Europe. In southeast Europe, several parallel cultures are found at different places. The main innovations in east-central Europe associated with the Baden Culture were traditionally thought to originate in southeast Europe, Anatolia, and the Levant. However, in recent years, doubt about this theory has arisen among archaeologists. Here, we try to contribute to t…
Studies on the Preparation of Small 14 C Samples with an RGA and 13 C-Enriched Material
The minimum size of radiocarbon samples for which reliable results can be obtained in an accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurement is in many cases limited by carbon contamination introduced during sample preparation (i.e. all physical and chemical steps to which samples were subjected, starting from sampling). Efforts to reduce the sample size limit down to a few μg carbon require comprehensive systematic investigations to assess the amoun…
Robust Bayesian Analysis, an Attempt to Improve Bayesian Sequencing
Bayesian sequencing of radiocarbon dates deals with the problem that in most cases there does not exist an unambiguous way to define the so-called prior function, which represents information in addition to the result of the 14 C measurements alone. However, a random choice of a particular prior function can lead to biased results. In this paper, “robust Bayesian analysis,” which uses a whole set of prior functions, is introduced as a more reliab…
AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Bone Samples from the Xinzhai Site in China
Xinzhai is an important archaeological site discovered 40 yr ago and recently re-excavated in the Henan Province, China. It is believed that the cultural characteristics of the Xinzhai site correspond to the Xia dynasty, the first ancient dynasty of China. Radiocarbon measurements on bone samples from this site were performed at the Peking University AMS facility (PKU-AMS) and the Vienna University AMS facility (VERA). Calibrated ages were obtain…
The Tyrolean Iceman and His Glacial Environment During the Holocene
This paper summarizes the present knowledge on the variation of summer temperatures in the European Alps throughout the Holocene by combining the results of an extraordinary archaeological find with the information gathered from glacier and tree-line movements. As it turns out, there were several distinct periods were the glaciers were smaller than today, allowing in some periods the growth of trees in areas, which even now are still covered with…
Evidence for Early Human Presence at High Altitudes in the Ötztal Alps (Austria/Italy)
The present article reports on the results and interpretation of a total of 235 radiocarbon dates from Alpine sites in the Ötztal region. Out of these, 88 age determinations were performed on equipment and artifacts associated with the Neolithic Iceman (discovered in 1991), and on a variety of plant and animal specimens collected at his discovery site. Since the material was dispersed over a larger area, 14 C dates were important to establish the…
Update on the Absolute Chronology of the Migration period in Central Europe (375–568 AD)
The Danube region in Central Europe was one of the areas where several cultures appeared before moving further or being defeated during the Migration Period in the middle of the first millennium AD. The Lombards, who crossed the Danube in 505 AD, settled in the “Tullnerfeld” where the Maria Ponsee graveyard was excavated in 1965–1972. From the historical evidence about the temporal and spatial migration of the Lombards, it was concluded that the …
C dating with the bomb peak
Age Determination of Fossil Bones from the Vindija Neanderthal Site in Croatia
Vindija cave in Croatia is famous for the Neanderthal bones found in layer G of its sediment profile. Radiocarbon dating has been performed mainly on this layer due to the great interest in its fossils. In addition to Neanderthal remains, the sediment in layer G contains bones from the cave bear. Cave bear bones are found also in other layers of the sediment profile and offer the possibility of studying the bears' evolutionary mode. Therefore, we…
New Chronological Frame for the Young Neolithic Baden Culture in Central Europe (4th Millennium BC)
The Baden Culture is a widely spread culture of the Young Neolithics in east-central Europe. In southeast Europe, several parallel cultures are found at different places. The main innovations in east-central Europe associated with the Baden Culture were traditionally thought to originate in southeast Europe, Anatolia, and the Levant. However, in recent years, doubt about this theory has arisen among archaeologists. Here, we try to contribute to t…
Investigation of a Chinese Ink Rubbing by 14 C AMS Analysis
The date of a Chinese ink rubbing was determined using radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to be in the range from AD 1480 to AD 1670 (95.4% confidence limit). Together with a scanning electron miscroscope (SEM) analysis of the ink and a comparative study of the Chinese characters, it was determined that the ink rubbing must have been performed before Emperor Kang Hsi (AD 1662–1722), who ruled at the beginning of the Chin Dynasty. On …
A 14 C Calibration with AMS from 3500 to 3000 BC, Derived from A New High-Elevation Stone-Pine Tree-Ring Chronology
High-precision radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements of a new high-altitude stone-pine tree-ring chronology from the European Alps were performed for a 500-yr stretch in the second half of the 4th millennium BC. A 14 C calibration curve with a typical 1-σ uncertainty of about 20 14 C yr was achieved. Although the general agreement of our data set with INTCAL98 is very good (confirming once more that INTCAL98 is also proper …
Pushing the Precision Limit of 14 C AMS
High precision for radiocarbon cannot be reached without profound insight into the various sources of uncertainty which only can be obtained from systematic investigations. In this paper, we present a whole series of investigations where in some cases 16 O: 17 O: 18 O served as a substitute for 12 C: 13 C: 14 C. This circumvents the disadvantages of event counting, providing more precise results in a much shorter time. As expected, not a single e…
Neolithic Massacres
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 …
Direct dating of Early Upper Palaeolithic human remains from Mladeč
AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Bone Samples from the Xinzhai Site in China
Xinzhai is an important archaeological site discovered 40 yr ago and recently re-excavated in the Henan Province, China. It is believed that the cultural characteristics of the Xinzhai site correspond to the Xia dynasty, the first ancient dynasty of China. Radiocarbon measurements on bone samples from this site were performed at the Peking University AMS facility (PKU-AMS) and the Vienna University AMS facility (VERA). Calibrated ages were obtain…
Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700-1400 B.C.
Radiocarbon (carbon-14) data from the Aegean Bronze Age 1700–1400 B.C. show that the Santorini (Thera) eruption must have occurred in the late 17th century B.C. By using carbon-14 dates from the surrounding region, cultural phases, and Bayesian statistical analysis, we established a chronology for the initial Aegean Late Bronze Age cultural phases (Late Minoan IA, IB, and II). This chronology contrasts with conventional archaeological dates and c…
Radiocarbon Determination of Particulate Organic Carbon in Non-Temperated, Alpine Glacier Ice
Dating ice samples from glaciers via radiocarbon is a challenge that requires systematic investigations. This work describes an approach for extraction and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14 C analysis of the particulate organic carbon (POC) fraction in glacier ice samples. Measurements were performed at VERA (Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator) on ice samples obtained mainly from the non-temperated ablation zone of the Grenzgletscher …
C Dating of Early Upper Palaeolithic Human and Faunal Remains from Mladeč
C Dating of the Upper Paleolithic Site at Krems-Hundssteig in Lower Austria
The open-air archaeological site at Krems-Hundssteig is a well-known Upper Paleolithic site located in Lower Austria. The site was discovered in the late 19th/early 20th centuries when a large number of archaeological remains were collected during the course of loess quarrying. Although no systematic excavation has ever been performed, Krems-Hundssteig has been described since its discovery as typical of the Aurignacian period in this region base…
C Dating of the Upper Paleolithic Site at Krems-Wachtberg, Austria
In the course of new excavations at the Upper Paleolithic site at Krems-Wachtberg in the loess region near Krems, Lower Austria, a double burial of newborns was discovered in 2005. One year later, a single grave of an infant was excavated nearby. Both graves are associated with the well-preserved living floor of an Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherer camp with distinct archaeological features and a rich Gravettian find assemblage. Several charcoal …
Radiocarbon-Based Chronology for Dynastic Egypt
Date with the Pharaohs Ancient Egypt dominated the Mediterranean world for several thousand years. However, the absolute chronology of this civilization has been uncertain, even though the sequence of rulers is well documented. Bronk Ramsey et al. (p. 1554 ; see the Perspective by Bruins ) now provide a detailed radiocarbon-based record using more than 200 samples that spans much of this time and reduces uncertainties in some cases to less than 2…
Robust Bayesian Analysis, an Attempt to Improve Bayesian Sequencing
Bayesian sequencing of radiocarbon dates deals with the problem that in most cases there does not exist an unambiguous way to define the so-called prior function, which represents information in addition to the result of the 14 C measurements alone. However, a random choice of a particular prior function can lead to biased results. In this paper, “robust Bayesian analysis,” which uses a whole set of prior functions, is introduced as a more reliab…
Studies on the Preparation of Small 14 C Samples with an RGA and 13 C-Enriched Material
The minimum size of radiocarbon samples for which reliable results can be obtained in an accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurement is in many cases limited by carbon contamination introduced during sample preparation (i.e. all physical and chemical steps to which samples were subjected, starting from sampling). Efforts to reduce the sample size limit down to a few μg carbon require comprehensive systematic investigations to assess the amoun…
Assessing the uncertainties of δ13C- and δ15N-values determined by EA-IRMS for palaeodietary studies
The Chronology of Tell El-Daba
Radiocarbon dating at the Tell el-Daba site in the Nile Delta has created an enigma for many years. Despite great efforts, the difference of about 120 yr between the chronology based on 14 C dates and the one based on archaeological evidence linked to the Egyptian historical chronology has not been solved. In order to foster open discussions on this discrepancy, we present here the results of 40 14 C accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measuremen…
High-precision dendro-14C dating of two cedar wood sequences from First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom Egypt and a small regional climate-related 14C divergence
Second Radiocarbon Intercomparison Program for the Chauvetpont d'Arc Cave, Ardèche, France
The Chauvet-Pont d'Arc Cave is one of the most important sites for the study of the earliest manifestations and development of prehistoric art at the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic. Different dating techniques have been performed thus far (AMS 14 C, U/Th TIMS, 36 Cl dating) to model the chronological framework of this decorated cave. The cave yielded several large charcoal fragments, which enabled the opportunity for obtaining multiple dates;…
Evidence for Early Human Presence at High Altitudes in the Ötztal Alps (Austria/Italy)
The present article reports on the results and interpretation of a total of 235 radiocarbon dates from Alpine sites in the Ötztal region. Out of these, 88 age determinations were performed on equipment and artifacts associated with the Neolithic Iceman (discovered in 1991), and on a variety of plant and animal specimens collected at his discovery site. Since the material was dispersed over a larger area, 14 C dates were important to establish the…
Dating the Thera (Santorini) eruption
The date of the Late Bronze Age Minoan eruption of the Thera volcano has provoked much debate among archaeologists, not least in a recent issue of Antiquity ('Bronze Age catastrophe and modern controversy: dating the Santorini eruption', March 2014). Here, the authors respond to those recent contributions, citing evidence that closes the gap between the conclusions offered by previous typological, stratigraphic and radiometric dating techniques. …
New Evidence for Middle Bronze Age Chronology and Synchronisms in the Levant
We report a set of radiocarbon data for the Middle Bronze Age monumental building at Tell el-Burak in Lebanon, dating it to the 19th century b.c., and summarize the relevant archaeological information concerning the stratigraphy and dating of the building. The radiocarbon data from Tell el-Burak is consistent with the high Middle Bronze Age radiocarbon dates recently reported for Tell el-Dabʿa in the eastern Nile Delta and with radiocarbon dates …
Preparation Methods of μg Carbon Samples for 14 C MeasuremenTS
Systematic investigations and experience from several application projects on small carbon samples over a number of years have resulted in measuring the radiocarbon content of 10 μg C samples with an overall precision of typically 1%. A substantial reduction of the carbon contamination during graphitization was achieved, resulting in 31±30 ng modern and 14 C-free carbon. Thus, graphitization is no longer the limiting factor because earlier sample…
Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (30 works) · Radiocarbon dating (25 works) · Archaeology (24 works) · Geography (22 works) · Geology (18 works) · Accelerator mass spectrometry (12 works) · Paleontology (12 works) · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology (12 works) · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research (11 works) · Chemistry (9 works)