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Radiocarbon Chronology for Early Caves of the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Guo Qinglin ,
Hiromi Takabayashi ,
Toshio Nakamura ,
Chen Gangquan ,
Ken Okada ,
Su Bomin ,
Fan Yuquan  and
Hiroshi Nishimoto
Guo Qinglin*
Affiliation:
Institute of Conservation, Dunhuang Academy, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, Gansu Province 736200, China
Hiromi Takabayashi
Affiliation:
Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo 14-43 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8713, Japan
Toshio Nakamura
Affiliation:
Center for Chronological Research, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
Chen Gangquan
Affiliation:
Institute of Conservation, Dunhuang Academy, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, Gansu Province 736200, China
Ken Okada
Affiliation:
Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo 14-43 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8713, Japan
Su Bomin
Affiliation:
Institute of Conservation, Dunhuang Academy, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, Gansu Province 736200, China
Fan Yuquan
Affiliation:
Institute of Conservation, Dunhuang Academy, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, Gansu Province 736200, China
Hiroshi Nishimoto
Affiliation:
Graduate School for Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
*
Corresponding author. Email: gqinglin@yahoo.com.cn
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Abstract

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The Mogao Grottoes site at Dunhuang is one of the largest stone cave temples in China. The site features 735 caves with Buddhist mural paintings. To investigate the chronology of early caves of the Mogao Grottoes, radiocarbon dates were measured by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) on plant remains collected from 4 caves: 268, 272, 275, and 285. Caves 268, 272, and 275 are regarded (by archaeological analysis) to be the earliest existing caves in the Mogao Grottoes. The fourth cave, 285, features inscriptions on the north wall mentioning the oldest dates of the Chinese Mogao era. Plant materials, taken from the plaster layer of mural paintings and core materials from statues, were collected as samples (n = 11) for AMS 14C dating at Nagoya University. Two samples from cave 275 gave calibrated 14C ages of cal AD 380–430 (1 σ). The other samples resulted in a time interval of cal AD 400–550. The calibrated 14C ages obtained for the samples taken from painted murals and the statues in cave 285 are consistent with the date given by the inscription remaining on the cave's north wall.

Type
Archaeology
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 52 , Issue 2: 20th Int. Radiocarbon Conference Proceedings , 2010 , pp. 500 - 510
Copyright
Copyright © 2010 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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