Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-x4r87 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-28T23:09:52.828Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Suitability of Ostrich Eggshell for Radiocarbon Dating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

John C Vogel
Affiliation:
Quaternary Dating Research Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Email: jvogel@csir.co.za.
Ebbie Visser
Affiliation:
Quaternary Dating Research Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Email: jvogel@csir.co.za.
Annemarie Fuls
Affiliation:
Quaternary Dating Research Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Email: jvogel@csir.co.za.
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Ostrich eggshell from archaeological sites remains largely free of more recent carbon contamination and as such is suitable material for radiocarbon dating. The carbonate fraction of the shell does, however, display an initial deficit in 14C, which causes the ages to appear 180 ± 120 yr too old.

Type
Notes and Technical Comments
Copyright
Copyright © The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

References

RERERENCES

Freundlich, JC, Kuper, R, Breunig, P, Bertram, H-G. 1988. Radiocarbon dating of ostrich eggshells. Radiocarbon 31(3):1030–4.Google Scholar
Horowitz, A, Sampson, CG, Scott, L, Vogel, JC. 1978. Analysis of the Voigtspost site, O.F.S. South African Archaeological Bulletin 33:152–9.Google Scholar
McLachlan, GR, Liversidge, R. 1970. Roberts Birds of South Africa. 3rd edition. Cape Town: Trustees of the Bird Book Fund.Google Scholar
Miller, GH, Beaumont, PB, Jull, AJT, Johnson, B. 1992. Pleistocene geochronology and palaeothermometry from protein diagenesis in ostrich eggshells: implications for the evolution of modern humans. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, London B337: 98102.Google Scholar