Direct Dating of Archaeological Pottery by Compound-Specific 14C Analysis of Preserved Lipids
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- 作者：Andrew W. Stott ; Robert Berstan ; Richard P. Evershed ; Christopher Bronk-Ramsey ; Robert E. M. Hedges ; and Martin J. Humm
- 刊名：Analytical Chemistry
- 出版年：2003
- 出版时间：October 1, 2003
- 年：2003
- 卷：75
- 期：19
- 页码：5037 - 5045
- 全文大小：120K
- 年卷期：v.75,no.19(October 1, 2003)
- ISSN：1520-6882
文摘
A methodology is described demonstrating the utility ofthe compound-specific 14C technique as a direct meansof dating archaeological pottery. The method uses automated preparative capillary gas chromatography employing wide-bore capillary columns to isolate individualcompounds from lipid extracts of archaeological potsherds in high purity (>95%) and amounts (>200 
g)sufficient for radiocarbon dating using accelerator massspectrometry (AMS). A protocol was developed and testedon n-alkanes and n-carboxylic acids possessing a broadrange of 14C ages. Analytical blanks and controls allowedbackground 14C measurements to be assessed and potential sources of errors to be detected, i.e., contaminationwith modern or dead 14C, isotopic fraction effects, etc. A"Russian doll" method was developed to transfer isolatedtarget compounds onto tin powder/capsules prior tocombustion and AMS analyses. The major advantage ofthe compound-specific technique is that 14C dates obtained for individual compounds can be directly linkedto the commodities processed in the vessels during theiruse, e.g., animal fats. The compound-specific 14C datingprotocol was validated on a suite of ancient pottery whosepredicted ages spanned a 5000-year date range. Initialresults indicate that meaningful correlations can beobtained between the predicted date of pottery and thatof the preserved lipids. These findings constitute animportant step forward to the direct dating of archaeological pottery.
g)sufficient for radiocarbon dating using accelerator massspectrometry (AMS). A protocol was developed and testedon n-alkanes and n-carboxylic acids possessing a broadrange of 14C ages. Analytical blanks and controls allowedbackground 14C measurements to be assessed and potential sources of errors to be detected, i.e., contaminationwith modern or dead 14C, isotopic fraction effects, etc. A"Russian doll" method was developed to transfer isolatedtarget compounds onto tin powder/capsules prior tocombustion and AMS analyses. The major advantage ofthe compound-specific technique is that 14C dates obtained for individual compounds can be directly linkedto the commodities processed in the vessels during theiruse, e.g., animal fats. The compound-specific 14C datingprotocol was validated on a suite of ancient pottery whosepredicted ages spanned a 5000-year date range. Initialresults indicate that meaningful correlations can beobtained between the predicted date of pottery and thatof the preserved lipids. These findings constitute animportant step forward to the direct dating of archaeological pottery.