Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T00:34:21.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Making the most of radiocarbon dating: some statistical considerations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

C. E. Buck
Affiliation:
Departments of Archaeology & Mathematics, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, England
C. D. Litton
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, England
E. M. Scott
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Mathematics Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QW, Scotland

Extract

The revised radiocarbon calibration curve, published last year, extends back into the Pleistocene the radiocarbon determinations that can be converted to real calendar years. For determinations of any age, the right judgements and statistical considerations must be followed if the real information held in the determinations is to be found. Here is advice with some worked examples.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aitchison, T.C., Leese, M., Michczynska, D.J., Mook, W.G., Otlet, R.L., Ottaway, B.S., Pazdur, M.F., Van DER PLICHT, J., Reimer, P.J., Robinson, S.W., Scott, E.M., Stuiver, M. & Weninger, B.. 1989. A comparison of methods used for the calibration of radiocarbon dates, Radiocarbon 31(3): 846–62.Google Scholar
Aitchison, T.C., Ottaway, B.S. & Al RUZAIZA, A.S.. 1991. Summarizing a group of 14C dates on the historical time scale: with a worked example from the Late Neolithic of Bavaria, Antiquity 65: 108–16.Google Scholar
Aitchison, T.C., Ottaway, B.S. & Scott, E.M.. 1990. Statistical treatment of groups of related radiocarbon ages, in Mook, W.G. & Waterbolk, H.T. (ed.), 14 C and archaeology: 95105. Gröningen: PACT. PACT 29.Google Scholar
Bonani, G., Ivy, S., Wolfli, W., Broshi, M., Carmi, I. & Strugnell, J.. 1992. Radiocarbon dating of fourteen Dead Sea scrolls, Radiocarbon 34(3): 843–9.Google Scholar
Bowman, S. 1990. Radiocarbon dating. London: British Museum Publications.Google Scholar
Buck, C.E., Kenworthy, J., Litton, C.D. & Smith, A.F.M.. 1991. Combining archaeological and radiocarbon information: a Bayesian approach to calibration, Antiquity 65: 808–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buck, C.E., Litton, CD. & Smith, A.F.M.. 1992. Calibration of radiocarbon results pertaining to related archaeological events, Journal of Archaeological Science 19: 497512.Google Scholar
Christen, J.A. In press. Summarising a set of radiocarbon determinations: a robust approach, Applied Statistics 43(3).Google Scholar
Long, A. & Kalin, R.M.. 1990. A suggested quality assurance protocol for radiocarbon dating laboratories, Radiocarbon 32(3): 329–34.Google Scholar
Pearson, G.W., Pilcher, J.R., Baillie, M.G.L., Corbett, D.M. & Qua, F.. 1986. High-precision 14C measurements of Irish oaks to show the natural 14C variations from AD 1840-5210 BC, Radiocarbon 28(2B): 911–34.Google Scholar
Pearson, G.W. & Stuiver, M.. 1986. High-precision calibration of the radiocarbon time scale, 500-2500 BC, Radiocarbon 28(2B): 839–62.Google Scholar
Scott, E.M., Harkness, D.D., Muller, B.F., Cook, G.T. & Baxter, M.S.. 1992. Announcement of a further international inter comparison exercise, Radiocarbon 34(3): 528–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Pearson, G.W.. 1986. High-precision calibration of the radiocarbon time scale, AD 1950-500 BC, Radiocarbon 28(2B): 805–38.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Reimer, P.. 1989. Users’ guide to the programs CALIB and DISPLAY rev. 2.1. Seattle (WA): Quaternary Isotope Lab, University of Washington.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Reimer, P.J.. 1993. Extended 14C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 14C age calibration, Radiocarbon 35(1): 215–30.Google Scholar
Van Der Plicht, J. & Mook, W.G.. 1989. Calibration of radiocarbon ages by computer, Radiocarbon 31: 805–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Strydonck, M. In press. Some examples of the use of the floruit to represent short archaeological events, in PACT, Helsinki September 1990.Google Scholar
Ward, G.K. & Wilson, S.R.. 1978. Procedures for comparing and combining radiocarbon age determinations: a critique, Archaeometry 20(1): 1931.Google Scholar