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Radiocarbon Dating of Single Compounds Isolated from Pottery Cooking Vessel Residues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

A W Stott ,
R Berstan ,
P Evershed ,
R E M Hedges ,
C Bronk Ramsey  and
M J Humm
A W Stott
Affiliation:
Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Merelwood, Cumbria, United Kingdom
R Berstan
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
P Evershed
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
R E M Hedges*
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory for Archaeology, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3QJ, United Kingdom
C Bronk Ramsey
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory for Archaeology, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3QJ, United Kingdom
M J Humm
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory for Archaeology, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3QJ, United Kingdom
*
Corresponding author. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

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We have developed and demonstrated a practical methodology for dating specific compounds (and octade-canoic or stearic acid—C18:0—in particular) from the lipid material surviving in archaeological cooking pots. Such compounds may be extracted from about 10 g of cooking potsherd, and, after derivatization, can be purified by gas chromatography. To obtain sufficient material for precise dating repetitive, accumulating, GC separation is necessary. Throughout the 6000-year period studied, and over a variety of site environments within England, dates on C18:0 show no apparent systematic error, but do have a greater variability than can be explained by the errors due to the separation chemistry and measurement process alone. This variability is as yet unexplained. Dates on C16:0 show greater variability and a systematic error of approximately 100-150 years too young, and it is possible that this is due to contamination from the burial environment. Further work should clarify this.

Type
I. Becoming Better
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 43 , Issue 2A: Proceedings of the 17th International Radiocarbon Conference (Part 1 of 3) , 2001 , pp. 191 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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