Radiocarbon Chronology for Early Caves of the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, China

Bibliographic Data

ID9244254
AuthorsGuo Qinglin, Hiromi Takabayashi, Toshio Nakamura, Chen Gangquan, Ken Okada (0009-0008-4260-5274), Su Bomin, Fan Yuquan, Hiroshi Nishimoto (0000-0003-1567-9274)
Year2010
Volume52
Issue2
Pages500-510
Publication date2010-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueRadiocarbon (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0033822200045537
OpenAlexW2143569014
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited4

The Mogao Grottoes site at Dunhuang is one of the largest stone cave temples in China. The site features 735 caves with Buddhist mural paintings. To investigate the chronology of early caves of the Mogao Grottoes, radiocarbon dates were measured by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) on plant remains collected from 4 caves: 268, 272, 275, and 285. Caves 268, 272, and 275 are regarded (by archaeological analysis) to be the earliest existing caves in the Mogao Grottoes. The fourth cave, 285, features inscriptions on the north wall mentioning the oldest dates of the Chinese Mogao era. Plant materials, taken from the plaster layer of mural paintings and core materials from statues, were collected as samples ( n = 11) for AMS 14 C dating at Nagoya University. Two samples from cave 275 gave calibrated 14 C ages of cal AD 380–430 (1 σ). The other samples resulted in a time interval of cal AD 400–550. The calibrated 14 C ages obtained for the samples taken from painted murals and the statues in cave 285 are consistent with the date given by the inscription remaining on the cave's north wall

Accelerator mass spectrometry · Archaeology · Art · Cave · Chronology · Geography · Mural · Painting · Radiocarbon dating · Archaeological Research and Protection · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis · Geology

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