The Reliability of AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Shells from China

Dados Bibliográficos

ID9242501
AutoresWeijian Zhou (0000-0001-9641-5734), M J Head, Fubao Wang, D J Donahue, A J T Jull (0000-0002-4079-4947)
Ano1999
Volume41
Fascículo1
Páginas17-24
Data de publicação1999-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoRadiocarbon (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0033822200019305
OpenAlexW2468722127
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas15
Referências citadas5

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