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Egypt and C14 Dating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

H. S. Smith
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Extract

Dr Libby's article was directed to examining the probable accuracy of the biophysical assumptions involved in the radiocarbon method of dating. His method was to show in a series of tables how the radiocarbon content of samples of tested ancient material deviated from the specific radiocarbon content of biosphere carbon calculated for the dates assigned to these samples on 'historical' evidence. Hitherto, radiocarbon dates have normally been presented as a check on those arrived at by 'historical' methods; here Dr. Libby uses 'historical' dates to control the accuracy of the radiocarbon method. His article, though of deep interest to archaeologists and ancient historians, is thus primarily addressed to his fellow scientists. Before following Dr Libby's lead unreservedly, they will wish to know the relative strength and validity of the alleged 'historical' datings [I].

Type
Research Article
Information
Antiquity , Volume 38 , Issue 149 , March 1964 , pp. 32 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 1964

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References

[1] Note the remarks of F. Johnson in Libby, W. F., Radiocarbon Dating, 2nd ed. (Chicago, 1955), 143-8.Google ScholarPubMed

[2] See Parker, R. A., The Calendars of Ancient Egypt (S.A.O.C. 26) (Chicago, 1950).Google Scholar

[3] Censorinas, De die natili 21, 9-12.Google Scholar

[4] P. Nigidius Figulus, 1st century B.C. See Sethe, , Zeitrechnung, 310.Google Scholar

[5] Parker, R. A., ‘Sothic dates and calendar “adjustment”’, Revue d’Egyptologie 9, 101-8.Google Scholar

[6] Gardiner, A. H., The Royal Canon of Turin, (Oxford, 1959)Google Scholar.

[7] See most recently Hayes, W. C., Rowton, M. B. and Stubbings, F. H., Chronology, and Smith, W. S., The Old Kingdom (Cambridge Ancient History Fascicles, nos. 4 and 5); Cambridge University Press, 1962.Google Scholar

[8] Schäfer, H., Ein Bruchstüch altägyptischer Annalen (Berlin, 1902)Google Scholar; Gauthier, H., ‘Quatres nouveaux fragments de la pierre de Palenne’, Le Musée égyptien, 3, 1915, 29-53 Google Scholar; Petrie, W. M. F., ‘New portions of the annals’, Ancient Egypt, 1916, 114-20Google Scholar.

[9] Meyer, E., Ägyptische Chronologie (Berlin, 1904 Google Scholar), and Nachträge zur aegyptischen Chronologie (Berlin, 1908); Sethe, K., Beiträge zur altesten Geschichte Ägyptens (Leipzig, 1905)Google Scholar; Borchardt, L., Quellen und Forschungen zur Zeiibestimmung der ägyptischen Geschichte (Berlin, 1st ed. 1917, and ed. 1935);Google Scholar Parker, R. A., s.v. ‘Egypt: Chronology’ in Encyclopaedia Americana, 10, 14 b-e, 1957 Google Scholar.

[10] Scharff, A., Historische Zeitschrift, 161, 1939, 3-32Google Scholar; Helck, W., Untersuchungen zu Manetho und den Agyptischen Königslisten (Berlin, 1956 Google Scholar). Helck gives no table of reigns, but the figures which he may be inferred to favour are set out in Table I.

[11] Libby, W. F., op cit., and Radiocarbon Supplement for the years 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962.Google Scholar

[12] Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, vol. 48, 1-3.