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Nondestructive Radiocarbon Dating: Naturally Mummified Infant Bundle from SW Texas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Karen L. Steelman ,
Marvin W. Rowe ,
Solveig A. Turpin ,
Tom Guilderson  and
Laura Nightengale
Karen L. Steelman
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, P.O. Box 30012, College Station, TX 77842
Marvin W. Rowe
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, P.O. Box 30012, College Station, TX 77842
Solveig A. Turpin
Affiliation:
Institute of Latin American Studies, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
Tom Guilderson
Affiliation:
Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550
Laura Nightengale
Affiliation:
Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, The University of Texas, 1 University Station R7500, Austin, Texas 78712-0714
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Abstract

Plasma oxidation was used to obtain radiocarbon dates on six different materials from a naturally mummified baby bundle from the Lower Pecos River region of southwest Texas. This bundle was selected because it was thought to represent a single event and would illustrate the accuracy and precision of the plasma oxidation method. Five of the materials were clearly components of the original bundle with 13 dates combined to yield a weighted average of 2135 ±11 B.P. Six dates from a wooden stick of Desert Ash averaged 939 ± 14 B.P, indicating that this artifact was not part of the original burial. Plasma oxidation is shown to be a virtually nondestructive alternative to combustion. Because only sub-milligram amounts of material are removed from an artifact over its exposed surface, no visible change in fragile materials has been observed, even under magnification. The method is best applied when natural organic contamination is unlikely and serious consideration of this issue is needed in all cases. If organic contamination is present, it will have to be removed before plasma oxidation to obtain accurate radiocarbon dates.

Resumen

Resumen

La oxidación de plasma, una alternativa no destructiva a la combustión, se usó para obtener muestras de radiocarbono de seis materiales distintos de un envoltorio de bebé naturalmente momificado de la región del bajo Río Pecos del suroeste de Texas. Este bulto se eligió porque representa un caso único e ilustra la exactitud y precision del método de oxidación de plasma. Cinco tipos de materiales que eran claramente componentes del bulto dieron 13 fechas que se combinaron para obtener un promedio con un valor asignado de 2135 ±11 A.P, seis muestras de un palillo de madera proveniente de Desert Ash promediaron 939 ± 14 A.P., mostrando que este artefacto no era parte del entierro original. La oxidación de plasma promete ser un método no destructivo para obtener fechas de radiocarbono de artefactos orgánicos perecederos, ya que solamente se requiere remover cantidades menores a un miligramo de la superficie expuesta de un artefacto, además de que ningún cambio visible se observó en los materiales frágiles después de la oxidación de plasma, aún bajo ampliación. El método se aplica mejor cuando no existe la posibilidad de contaminación orgánica, este factor necesita ser seriamente considerado en todos los casos, ya que si hay contaminación orgánica ésta tendría que ser removida antes de la oxidación de plasma para obtener fechas de radiocarbono exactas.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 69 , Issue 4 , October 2004 , pp. 741 - 750
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2004

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