Optical and thermoluminescence dating of Middle Stone Age and Kintampo bearing sediments at Birimi, a multi-component archaeological site in Ghana

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• 作者：Quickert ; Nicole A. ; Godfrey-Smith ; Dorothy I. ; Casey ; Joanna L.
• 刊名：Quaternary Science Reviews
• 出版年：2003
• 出版时间：May, 2003
• 年：2003
• 卷：22
• 期：10-13
• 页码：1291-1297
• 全文大小：263 K

文摘

We report the first luminescence ages for the archeological and geological sediments forming the substrate of the Birimi archaeological site in the Northern Region of Ghana. The site's significance rests on the fact that it contains a rich collection of artifact assemblages representative of three distinct cultures, and that, on the basis of artifact typology, the earliest assemblage is diagnostic of the Middle Stone Age (MSA). In situ occurrences of MSA artifacts are found at over 1m below today's surface. They are overlain by a ceramic-rich complex of a sedentary or semi-sendentary Later Stone Age culture known as the Kintampo. The western half of the site is dominated by the industrial remains of Iron Age smelting activity.