28th January 2009, 02:21 AM
The coin dating may still be more effective than any radiometric date. Like dendro, it may be possible to date things to the year, whereas the best AMS-RCD will give +/- 40 yr error ranges, with basic luminescence dates typically 5-10% errors compared to the age of the sample. i.e. 2000 +/- 100 BP but quite often less. However expanding the inferences of the site into the wider landscape may be problematic/unreliable relying on coin dates.
There are lots of luminescence dating labs across the world now, with much of the best expertise based within Europe, Oz and China. Many labs will gladly send out folk to sample sites in most places, I certainly know of highly regarded specialists in Eastern Europe. These guidelines are a very useful introductory step for archaeologists wishing to broaden their dating capabilities. Almost any aeolian and most colluvial sediments will provide high-quality dates. Glacial and water-lain sediments are more complicated but not necessarily impossible. Within archaeological sediments even dating ground surfaces is becoming a real possibility. It just takes a bit of innovation.
Sediment dating has rapidly taken off since 2000, it is now a standard procedure. Ceramics and other burnt things have been dateable since at least the 70's, and new applications are developing all the time.
It may be that cost is the major element in preventing commercial archaeology or less well-off projects from benfitting from luminescence techniques, but mates rates are not unheard of. Luminescence dates are not that much more expensive than AMS radiocarbon dates. I'm not just saying that luminescence techniques are useful just because my Ph.D is based on it but it has a diverse range of applications and abilities that many archaeological dating problems could benefit from, and are currently underutilised.
I'd like to remedy that. If anyone had any queries about luminescence dating applications, I'd be more than happy to discuss techniques, labs, and various specialists that may be able to help.
Cheers,
Andy
There are lots of luminescence dating labs across the world now, with much of the best expertise based within Europe, Oz and China. Many labs will gladly send out folk to sample sites in most places, I certainly know of highly regarded specialists in Eastern Europe. These guidelines are a very useful introductory step for archaeologists wishing to broaden their dating capabilities. Almost any aeolian and most colluvial sediments will provide high-quality dates. Glacial and water-lain sediments are more complicated but not necessarily impossible. Within archaeological sediments even dating ground surfaces is becoming a real possibility. It just takes a bit of innovation.
Sediment dating has rapidly taken off since 2000, it is now a standard procedure. Ceramics and other burnt things have been dateable since at least the 70's, and new applications are developing all the time.
It may be that cost is the major element in preventing commercial archaeology or less well-off projects from benfitting from luminescence techniques, but mates rates are not unheard of. Luminescence dates are not that much more expensive than AMS radiocarbon dates. I'm not just saying that luminescence techniques are useful just because my Ph.D is based on it but it has a diverse range of applications and abilities that many archaeological dating problems could benefit from, and are currently underutilised.
I'd like to remedy that. If anyone had any queries about luminescence dating applications, I'd be more than happy to discuss techniques, labs, and various specialists that may be able to help.
Cheers,
Andy