We discuss the radiocarbon chronology of Late Pleistocene archaeology in the Japanese islands. In sum, 429 samples from more than 100 archaeological sites were compiled and then divided into three periods and four stages. The Early Upper Paleolithic, characterized by Trapezoid industries, lasted during approximately 34-26 ka. The Late Upper Paleolithic period includes both the backed-blade stage and point-tool stage, the latter appearing chronologically later than the former. This stage covers ~25–15 ka. The Final Upper Paleolithic and Incipient Jomon are distinguished by the appearance of microblade industries and the emergence of pottery at the end of this period. This period covers approximately 14-12 ka. The microblade tradition, in the broadest sense, is strongly connected to the background of peopling of the New World. New data on the transitional stage from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic are also discussed in regards to three archaeological sites. Issues on the application of the 14C calibration to the whole Japanese Upper Paleolithic are critically evaluated.

Radiocarbon ages of calcium oxalate that occurs naturally on rock surfaces have been used recently in archaeological and paleoenvironmental studies. Oxalate rock coatings are found globally, with most appearing to be residues from epilithic lichens. To explore the source(s) of carbon used by these organisms for the production of oxalate we measured the natural abundances of 14C and 13C in 5 oxalate-producing lichen species, 3 growing on limestone in southwestern Texas and 2 on sandstone in Arkansas. We also examined the distribution of the isotopes between the calcium oxalate and lichen tissues by separating these components and measuring the 13C/C independently. The results demonstrate that the limestone species were slightly enriched in 14C, by 1.7%, relative to the sandstone species, which suggests that “dead” carbon from the limestone substrate does not constitute a significant source of carbon for the production of oxalate. The calcium oxalate produced by the lichens is also enriched in 13C by 6.5% compared to the lichen tissues, demonstrating that there is a large carbon isotope discrimination during oxalate biosynthesis. These results support the reliability of 14C ages of calcium oxalate rock coatings used for archaeological and paleoclimate studies.

Two Vertisol soil profiles under xeric soil moisture regimes, located at Qedma and Akko, Israel, were investigated and compared to a profile under ustic moisture regime, located in Hyderabad, India. Samples were taken in complete successive 2 cm thin layers down to about 180 cm depth or more. Organic and inorganic carbon were analyzed with regard to 13C and 14C concentrations. While all soils have radiocarbon ages of several thousand years BP, the depth distributions reveal substantial differences between the soil carbon dynamics. 14C and, less pronounced, δ13C clearly reflect the pedoturbation process. Further, its strength is found to be related to mainly soil moisture regime, then clay content and land use. In one soil, a change of growing from C4 to C3 crops in the past can be concluded from the δ13C depth distribution.

The discovery of the Iwajuku site in Japan is the beginning of the study of the first Paleolithic cultures in the region. In this paper we examine the timing of the earliest colonization of southern Japan, especially focusing on the areas of Kyushu, Shikoku, and the Ryukyu archipelago. Osteological studies have proposed the ultimate origin of these western Japanese Paleolithic populations in Southeast Asia. If this hypothesis is correct, Native Americans may be remotely related to the populations of this region. Greater attention to data from areas such as Japan is necessary to understand the timing and nature of New World colonization.

The territory of Siberia is of crucial importance for the study of early human dispersal and the peopling of the New World. A Siberian Paleolithic Radiocarbon Database has been compiled. The Database allows us to compile a chronolgical framework for human colonization of Northern Asia. There are 446 14C dates for 13 Middle and 111 Upper Paleolithic sites older than around 12,000 BP. Seventeen percent of the dates were obtained by the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) technique, and the remaining 83% are conventional. From the viewpoint of the spatial distribution of the 14C-dated sites, the majority of these are located at the Yenisey River Basin, Transbaikal, and the Altai Mountains. The general outline of the Upper Paleolithic colonization of Siberia is given here. The earliest traces of modern human occupation are dated to around 43,000–39,000 BP in the southern part of Siberia. It seems that by around 13,000 BP, almost all of northern Asia, including the extreme northeastern Siberia had been colonized by modern humans. We discuss some controversial problems that have provoked heated debates in current Russian archaeology. Notable among these are the surprisingly early AMS dates for the Early Upper Paleolithic, the age of the Dyuktai culture of Yakutia, the problem of human presence in Siberia at the time of the Last Glacial Maximum (20,000–18,000 BP), and the timing of the initial settling of the Chukchi Peninsula and northeastern Siberia.

The authors study the radiocarbon dating of a relic believed to be the tablet that was placed on the cross of Jesus Christ at the time of his crucifixion.

Located in the Ziway-Shala Basin of the Main Ethiopian Rift, Lake Langano is part of an asymmetric half-graben, defined by a series of north-northeast-trending faults in the tectonically active zone of the rift. A 15-m deep succession of organic homogeneous muds, silts, bioclastic sands, and pyroclastic layers was cored in 1994. The definition of a certified radiocarbon chronology on these deposits required the indispensable establishment of modern hydrological and geochemical balances. The isotopic contents of the total dissolved inorganic carbon (TDIC) of surface water clearly show the influence of a deep CO2 rising along the main fault crossing the lake basin. The 5.8 pMC disequilibrium existing in 1994 with the atmosphere likely produces the aging of authigenic materials developing at the lake surface. However, with a mean residence time of ~15 years, this apparent 14C aging of Lake Langano water still integrates the 14C produced by the nuclear tests in the 1960s. Reconstructing the natural 14C activity of the lake TDIC allows for the quantification of the deep CO2 influence, and for the correction of AMS-14C datings performed along the core. The correction of the AMS-14C chronology defined on Lake Langano allows for a better understanding of paleohydrological changes at a regional scale for at least the last 12,700 cal BP.

Pearl shell was an important and highly valued resource for producing tools and ornaments in Oceania. One pearl shell artifact type that is quite rare in Micronesia, however, is the crescent-shaped scraper/grater. These artifacts have recently been found in 2 burial caves in Palau, Western Caroline Islands, suggesting they may have played important social and symbolic roles in society. The first direct accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating of this tool type, found in association with an in-situ female burial at the Chelechol ra Orrak site, provides a date of AD 150–270, while associated dates range from 770 BC–AD 180. These dates help contextualize human burials and associated artifacts from one of the earliest and most diverse burial sites in Austronesia.

This paper addresses the absolute chronology of the earlier Yunatsite and Ezero cultures in Upper Thrace (South Bulgaria), from Early Bronze I and the beginning of Early Bronze II. The two newly obtained radiocarbon dates from Early Bronze Dubene-Sarovka (the Upper Stryama Valley) are published and discussed in a detailed stratigraphic and comparative Early Bronze I–Early Bronze II context. Date Bln-5233 (3490–3120 cal BC) is the first 14C date from the Upper Maritsa valley from Early Bronze I with well-defined stratigraphic context and values earlier than 3100 BC. This date adds new arguments to the discussion of the 14C dates from Yunatsite 15 and Plovdiv–Nebet Tepe, and addresses the question of the comparative chronology of Yunatsite I and Ezero I cultures from the late fourth millennium BC.

The sample of the date Bln-5231 (2870–2620 cal BC) comes from a level on the border between Early Bronze I and Early Bronze II. On one hand, its values preceded the values of the earlier-obtained 14C dates from IIB layer and confirmed the stratigraphic sequence at Dubene-Sarovka tell. On the other hand, the calibrated values seem to be later than the vast comparative chronology of the end of the Dubene IIA&Mdash;the beginning of Dubene IIB (ca. 3000 BC). Similar problems occur with dates from Yunatsite and Ezero. The published new dates from Dubene-Sarovka are part of the project on complex elaborating of the Early Bronze absolute chronology in the Balkans, and especially on contextual analysis of the 14C dates.

Soil organic matter (SOM), leaf litter, and root material of an Ultisol from the tropical rainforest of Kakamega, Kenya, were analyzed for stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic values as well as total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in order to determine trends in SOM decomposition within a very well-developed soil under tropical conditions. In addition, we quantified mineralogy and chemistry of the inorganic soil fraction. Clay mineralogical variation with depth was small and the abundance of kaolin indicates intense weathering and pedoturbation under humid tropical conditions. The soil chemistry was dominated by silica, aluminium, and iron with calcium, potassium, and magnesium as minor constituents. The relative depletion of base cations compared with silica and aluminium is an indicator for intense weathering and leaching conditions over long periods of time. Depth profiles of δ13C and δ15N showed a distinct enrichment trend down profile with a large (average 13δC = 5.0 and average 15δN= 6.3) and abrupt offset within the uppermost 10–20 cm of the soil. Isotopic enrichment with depth is commonly observed in soil profiles and has been attributed to fractionation during decomposition. However, isotopic offsets within soil profiles that exceed 3 are usually interpreted as a recent change from C4 to C3 dominated vegetation. We argue that the observed isotopic depth profiles along with data from mineralogy and chemistry of the inorganic fraction from the Kakamega Forest soil are a result of intense weathering and high organic matter turnover rates under humid tropical conditions.

We have constructed a detailed chronological description of soil formation and its environments with data obtained on radiocarbon ages, palynology, and pedology of the Holocene buried soils in the forest steppe of western and central Siberia. We studied a number of Holocene sections, which were located in different geomorphic situations. Radiocarbon dating of materials from several soil horizons, including soil organic matter (SOM), wood, peat, charcoal, and carbonates, revealed three climatic periods and five stages of soil formation in the second part of the Holocene. 14C ages of approximately 6355 BP, 6020 BP, and 5930 BP showed that the longest and most active stage is associated with the Holocene Climatic Optimum, when dark-grey soils were formed in the forest environment. The conditions of birch forest steppe favored formation of chernozem and associated meadow-chernozem and meadow soils. Subboreal time includes two stages of soil formation corresponding to lake regressions, which were less intense than those of the Holocene Optimum. The soils of that time are chernozem, grassland-chernozem, and saline types, interbedded with thin peat layers 14C dated to around 4555 B P, 4240 BP and 3480 BP, and 3170 B P. Subatlantic time includes two poorly developed hydromorphic paleosols formed within inshore parts of lakes and chernozem-type automorphic paleosol. The older horizon was formed during approximately 2500–1770 BP, and the younger one during approximately 1640–400 B P. The buried soils of the Subatlantic time period also attest to short episodes of lake regression. The climate changes show an evident trend: in the second part of the Atlantic time period it was warmer and drier than at present, and in the Subboreal and Subatlantic time periods the climate was cool and humid.

In order to estimate the apparent age of seawater (R) and the corresponding local offset from the global marine radiocarbon calibration curve (δR) on the far south coast of Peru for 2 periods in the past, 6 pairs of associated marine shell and unburned wood samples from archaeological excavations at Loreto Viejo were 14C dated. Three pairs from about cal AD 1280–1380 indicated larger and more variable δR estimates than have been obtained for other periods in nearby regions, suggesting that δR may vary considerably over space and/or time. Three pairs from about 1870–1680 cal BC yielded consistent shell dates, but only one reasonable terrestrial date and δR estimate, probably due to stratigraphic mixing in antiquity. The one early δR estimate falls slightly outside the range of the later ones, suggesting either still greater spatial variability in δR, or some temporal variability.

This paper reports on the first chronological assessment of the Jewish Catacombs of the ancient Rome performed by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating of small-size charcoal fragments scattered in the mortar used for sealing off the graves in the Villa Torlonia Catacomb complex. The significance of the obtained 14C readings has been carefully evaluated by taking into consideration the known technologies of quicklime production during Roman and recent times. The new data are of great concern for providing evidence that the Jewish catacombs were used for burial since the first century AD, thus some two centuries prior to the period traditionally believed to be the starting point of burial in the Jewish catacombs of ancient Rome. Such a significant aging of the Jewish catacombs could result in a deep re-examination of the current understanding of the beginning and the evolution of the custom of catacomb burial in both Jewish and early Christian communities in Rome.

We explored the reliability of radiocarbon ages obtained on organic carbon phases in opal-rich Southern Ocean sediments. Paired biogenic carbonate and total organic carbon (TOC) 14C analyses for three Southern Ocean cores showed that the TOC ages were systematically younger than the carbonate ages. Carbonate ages were consistent with oxygen isotopic and bio-stratigraphy, indicating error in TOC ages that could be explained by 5–24% of modern carbon contamination of TOC samples. Two possible sources of contamination are: 1) adsorption of atmospheric CO2 or volatile organic compounds to reactive opal surface sites, and 2) fixation of atmospheric CO2 by chemosynthetic bacteria during core storage. In an effort to reduce the modern carbon contamination, diatoms were separated from sediments, purified, and pre-oxidized by concentrated nitric and perchloric acids to permit dating of opal-intrinsic organic carbon (~0.1–0.3% by weight). 14C ages of chemically pre-oxidized opal showed a significant amount of modern carbon contamination, from 11 to 32%, indicating adsorption from the atmosphere of modern carbon onto opal surfaces that were previously cleaned by acid oxidation. Several experiments designed to eliminate the modern C contamination were attempted, but so far we have not been able to obtain a radiocarbon age on 14C-dead Southern Ocean opal-rich sediments, either bulk TOC or purified diatom opal samples, as old as our procedural blank.

This study presents the results of carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyses of six human skeletons excavated from the Tochibara rockshelter (Nagano, Japan). The human skeletons were reported to be accompanied by “Oshigata-mon” type pottery dating to the Earliest Jomon period (8900 BP ≃ 6600 BP). A radiocarbon determination from charcoal associated with the human remains was reported to be 8650 ± 180 BP (GaK-1056). However, the depositional context of human skeletons was uncertain because they were recovered by excavations that were dug by prescribed levels. Our results indicated that these skeletons date to the Earliest Jomon period; the 14C determinations place these remains between 8260 ± 100 BP (TERRA-b030799ab38) and 8580 ± 100 BP (TERRA-b011300a35). This coincides with the archaeological evidence that these specimens are some of the oldest Jomon skeletal materials. Furthermore, δ13C and δ15N values provide evidence for the first reconstruction of the diet of an inland Earliest Jomon population. Although the distribution of data indicated a possibility that they had exploited small amounts of seafood, the isotopic data point to this group having relied heavily on a terrestrial ecosystem based on C3 plants.

The use of stable carbon isotopes as dietary tracers is an application that is widening its scope within the fields of ecology and paleoecology. Although hair is potentially one of the most favorable animal tissues for isotopic measurement for dietary studies, this tissue is rarely included in research works. This may be due to the fact that many aspects related to hair tissue are not fully understood, especially in the case of wild animals whose diets consist of plants with contrasting 13C/12C ratios, their abundance depending on seasonality. The present isotopic study of hair from animals inhabiting the Andes in northwestern Argentina, at heights ranging from 3500 to about 5000 m above sea level (asl) shows that 1) δ13C values measured on hair from herbivores with a mixed and isotopically contrasting diet, and from their carnivorous predators, differ in their respective trophic levels, 2) in primary consumers, different types of hair from the same individual have different δ13C values, whereas hair values are homogeneous in carnivores, and 3) some types of hair from rodents, such as whiskers, show δ13C values similar to those of less metabolically active tissues such as bone collagen.

We have observed A14C concentrations in the northern hemisphere temperate region in the bomb pulse period, using cross-dated tree ring samples. The tree-ring samples were taken from one 70-year-old and two 50-year-old red pines (Pinus densiflora) on Mt Chiak, Korea and from a 50-year-old red pine (Pinus densiflora) on Mt Kyeryong, Korea. Twenty-two tree-ring samples from four red pines ranging from 1950 to 2000 AD were pretreated to obtain holo-cellulose, combusted to CO2 by an element analyzer (EA) and converted to graphite for δ14C measurement using the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) facility at Seoul National University. Our results for δ14C showed good agreement with those measured by other researchers at similar latitudes. The observed steady decrease of δ14C from 1965 to 2000 AD is described by a single exponential function with a lifetime τ = 15.99 ± 0.43 yr. This lifetime is similar to that of the high-latitude region in Europe.

Geomorphology, clay mineral composition, and radiocarbon dates from Muttukadu to Marakkanam estuaries and the tidal zone along the east coast of Tamil Nadu, India, have been used to reconstruct coastal evolution between approximately 4500 and 1100 B P. Formation of alternate oyster beds with intervening tidal clay units indicate fluctuation in the sea level may be a consequence of changes in the Mid-Holocene sedimentation pattern and coastal configuration. 14C dates from Muttukadu indicate a rapid relative sea-level rise (RSL) subsequent to 3500 BP and tidal flat sedimentation between 3475 and 3145 BP. Marine conditions along the east coast area returned around 1900 B P. Comparison of dates with other sites, e.g. Muttukadu, Mammallapuram, and Marakkanam, points toward short removal of marine conditions, ample sediment supplies in the tidal zones, and neotectonic activity. Reactivation of the north–south trending fault line occurred not earlier than approximately 1050 B P. Our study indicates that Middle to Late Holocene coastal sedimentation and the chronology of the tidal zone formation have been strongly influenced by local factors. These have provided considerable scope for internal reorganization with changing coastal processes.

The continuing improvements in accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating technology mean that it is possible to work on ever smaller samples, which in turn, make an ever wider range of sample potentially available for dating. This paper discusses some of the difficulties arising with the interpretation of AMS dates obtained from carbon in iron. The overriding problem is that the carbon, now in chemical combination with the iron, could have come from a variety of sources with very different origins. These are now potentially an iressolvable mixture in the iron. For iron made over the last millennium, there are the additional problems associated with the use of both fossil fuel and biomass fuel in different stages of the iron making, leading to great confusion, especially with authenticity studies.

Coeval shell and charcoal from Santa Catarina State, Brazil, differ systematically in 14C content, indicating a reservoir effect in marine samples. For modern samples (AD 1939–2000) and archeological samples (2500–1595 BP), the mean 14C age difference between marine and atmospheric carbon is 220 ± 20 years, the marine carbon being older. For three samples dated AD 1939–1944, a distinct reservoir correction of 510 ± 10 years is also observed. The ages of archeological shell samples from Jabuticabeira may be corrected by subtracting 220 years from the apparent 14C ages.