The Reliability of AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Shells from China

Bibliographic Data

ID9242501
AuthorsWeijian Zhou (0000-0001-9641-5734), M J Head, Fubao Wang, D J Donahue, A J T Jull (0000-0002-4079-4947)
Year1999
Volume41
Issue1
Pages17-24
Publication date1999-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueRadiocarbon (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0033822200019305
OpenAlexW2468722127
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited5

We tested the feasibility of dating freshwater and terrestrial molluscs from the semiarid and arid zone in China, since these types of shell material deposit only aragonite to form their shell structure, and shell integrity can be easily observed using X-ray diffraction. We also tested the possibility of estimating microenvironmental changes from shell δ 13 C values, but variations within shell populations preclude the use of these values as a reliable indicator. Reservoir ages were calculated for living shells of the same species as fossil shells by using their measured 14 C ages, which were recalculated using an average value of atmospheric 14 C activity for the years spanning their time of collection as the modern standard. The results indicate that freshwater and terrestrial shells are potentially useful as dating material, provided extreme care is taken in their collection and other datable material (in this case wood and pollen) is within the profile to act as a comparison

Absolute dating · Aragonite · Arid · Calcite · Geography · Physical geography · Quaternary · Radiocarbon dating · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Environmental Science · Materials Science · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Geology · Paleontology