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Recent and Planned Developments of the Program OxCal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2016

Christopher Bronk Ramsey  and
Sharen Lee
Christopher Bronk Ramsey*
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Dyson Perrins Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
Sharen Lee
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Dyson Perrins Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
*
1 Corresponding author. Email: christopher.ramsey@rlaha.ox.ac.uk.
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Abstract

OxCal is a widely used software package for the calibration of radiocarbon dates and the statistical analysis of 14C and other chronological information. The program aims to make statistical methods easily available to researchers and students working in a range of different disciplines. This paper will look at the recent and planned developments of the package. The recent additions to the statistical methods are primarily aimed at providing more robust models, in particular through model averaging for deposition models and through different multiphase models. The paper will look at how these new models have been implemented and explore the implications for researchers who might benefit from their use. In addition, a new approach to the evaluation of marine reservoir offsets will be presented. As the quantity and complexity of chronological data increase, it is also important to have efficient methods for the visualization of such extensive data sets and methods for the presentation of spatial and geographical data embedded within planned future versions of OxCal will also be discussed.

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Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 55 , Issue 2: Proceedings of the 21st International Radiocarbon Conference (Part 1 of 2) , 2013 , pp. 720 - 730
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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