ESR Dating at Hominid and Archaeological Sites During the Pleistocene

Blackwell, Bonnie A.B.; Skinner, Anne R.; Blickstein, Joel I.B.; Golovanova, Liubov V.; Doronichev, Vladimir B.; Seronie-Vivien, Marie-Roger

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-76487-0_6

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Whereas some scholars (26,27) have accepted this sole estimate as proof of late Neanderthal survival in the Caucasus, additional research has shown that the 14 C age estimate of Mez 1 is not in agreement with a robust series of independent 14 C and ESR chronometric dates of associated archaeological materials and stratigraphic sequence at the site (6,20,24). Because the Mez 2 cranial fragments (layer 2) are stratigraphically overlying the Mez 1 infant (layer 3), Mez 2 can be significantly younger than Mez 1, perhaps in line with the age ∼40 ka BP suggested for layer 2 on the basis of ESR dating (28). Without the direct dating of the Mez 2 specimen, this claim cannot be assessed objectively.…”

mentioning

confidence: 75%

Revised age of late Neanderthal occupation and the end of the Middle Paleolithic in the northern Caucasus

Pinhasi

Higham²,

Golovanova³

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

108

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Advances in direct radiocarbon dating of Neanderthal and anatomically modern human (AMH) fossils and the development of archaeostratigraphic chronologies now allow refined regional models for Neanderthal–AMH coexistence. In addition, they allow us to explore the issue of late Neanderthal survival in regions of Western Eurasia located within early routes of AMH expansion such as the Caucasus. Here we report the direct radiocarbon ( 14 C) dating of a late Neanderthal specimen from a Late Middle Paleolithic (LMP) layer in Mezmaiskaya Cave, northern Caucasus. Additionally, we provide a more accurate chronology for the timing of Neanderthal extinction in the region through a robust series of 16 ultrafiltered bone collagen radiocarbon dates from LMP layers and using Bayesian modeling to produce a boundary probability distribution function corresponding to the end of the LMP at Mezmaiskaya. The direct date of the fossil (39,700 ± 1,100 14 C BP) is in good agreement with the probability distribution function, indicating at a high level of probability that Neanderthals did not survive at Mezmaiskaya Cave after 39 ka cal BP ("calendrical" age in kiloannum before present, based on IntCal09 calibration curve). This challenges previous claims for late Neanderthal survival in the northern Caucasus. We see striking and largely synchronous chronometric similarities between the Bayesian age modeling for the end of the LMP at Mezmaiskaya and chronometric data from Ortvale Klde for the end of the LMP in the southern Caucasus. Our results confirm the lack of reliably dated Neanderthal fossils younger than ∼40 ka cal BP in any other region of Western Eurasia, including the Caucasus.

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mentioning

confidence: 75%

Revised age of late Neanderthal occupation and the end of the Middle Paleolithic in the northern Caucasus

Pinhasi

Higham²,

Golovanova³

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

108

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“…Within Layer 6, [W sed (0)] ranged from 18.9 ± 0.3 to 23.8 ± 2.4 wt%, with higher uncertainties than seen in other layers. In most karst cave sediment, [W sed (0)] tends to average 5-15 wt% [5,6,8,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]. At [W sed (0)] >12-15 wt%, the sediment feels damp, which tends to discourage both long-term human inhabitation and cave bear hibernation.…”

Section: Sedimentary Geochemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In karst caves, D sed,β (t) typically ranges from 100 to 500 µGy/y, while D sed,γ (t) varies from 300 to 1000 µGy/y, partly due to the limestone and éboulis that tend to range at 30-60 µGy/y for D sed,éb,β (t) and 100-250 µGy/y for D sed,éb, γ (t) [5,6,8,16,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]. By comparison, at SCG, both D sed,β (t) and D sed,γ (t) range 3-15 times higher.…”

Section: Sedimentary Dose Ratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sedimentary Dosimetry for the Saradj-Chuko Grotto: A Cave in a Lava Tube in the North-Central Caucasus, Russia

Blackwell

Kazi²,

Huang³

et al. 2020

MPs

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Karst caves host most European Paleolithic sites. Near the Eurasian-Arabian Plate convergence in the Caucasus’ Lower Chegem Formation, Saradj-Chuko Grotto (SCG), a lava tube, contains 16 geoarchaeologically distinct horizons yielding modern to laminar obsidian-rich Middle Paleolithic (MP) assemblages. Since electron spin resonance (ESR) can date MP teeth with 2–5% uncertainty, 40 sediment samples were analyzed by neutron activation analysis to measure volumetrically averaged sedimentary dose rates. SCG’s rhyolitic ignimbrite walls produce very acidic clay-rich conglomeratic silts that retain 16–24 wt% water today. In Layers 6A-6B, the most prolific MP layers, strongly decalcified bones hinder species identification, but large ungulates inhabited deciduous interglacial forests. Unlike in karst caves, most SCG’s layers had sedimentary U concentrations >4 ppm and Th, >12 ppm, but Layer 6B2 exceeded 20.8 ppm U, and Layer 7, >5 ppm Th. Such high concentrations emit dose rates averaging ~1.9–3.7 mGy/y, but locally up to 4.1–5.0 mGy/y. Within Layer 6, dose rate variations reflect bone occurrence, necessitating that several samples must be geochemically analyzed around each tooth to ensure age accuracy. Coupled with dentinal dose rates up to 3.7–4.5 mGy/y, SCG’s maximum datable ages likely averages ~500–800 ka.

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“…1998, 2003; Kunej and Turk 2000; Nowell and Chase 2002; Turk et al . 2005; d'Errico and Lawson 2006; Morley 2006; Blackwell et al . 2009a,b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2009a,b). The site has generally been designated Mousterian on the basis of the context (514 stone and some bone artefacts, remains of 20 hearths in 13 distinct Middle Palaeolithic levels) and the absolute age (Blackwell et al . 2009a,b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Did Neanderthals Play Music? X‐ray Computed Micro‐tomography of the Divje Babe ‘Flute’*

Tuniz

Bernardini

Turk³

et al. 2011

Archaeometry

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Archaeological evidence for wind musical instruments made by modern humans has been well established from the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe. Musical instruments evidently made by Neanderthals have not been found so far. The most controversial object is a juvenile cave bear femur with two complete holes, found in 1995 in the Middle Palaeolithic layers of the Cave Divje babe I, Slovenia. The bone was interpreted as a possible Neanderthal ‘flute’, but some scholars have firmly rejected this hypothesis on the basis of taphonomic observations, suggesting a carnivore origin for the holes. Here, we show the results of X‐ray computed micro‐tomography (mCT) performed on the Divje babe I ‘flute’. Our analyses demonstrate that there were originally four holes, possibly made with pointed stones and bone tools. Most surface modifications near the holes, previously interpreted as effects of carnivore gnawing, are post‐depositional marks. Furthermore, a thin layer has been removed around one of the complete holes, producing a flat surface, possibly to facilitate perforation. The new data show that a Neanderthal manufacture of the object cannot be ruled out.

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ESR Dating at Hominid and Archaeological Sites During the Pleistocene

Cited by 6 publications

References 26 publications

Revised age of late Neanderthal occupation and the end of the Middle Paleolithic in the northern Caucasus

Revised age of late Neanderthal occupation and the end of the Middle Paleolithic in the northern Caucasus

Sedimentary Dosimetry for the Saradj-Chuko Grotto: A Cave in a Lava Tube in the North-Central Caucasus, Russia

Did Neanderthals Play Music? X‐ray Computed Micro‐tomography of the Divje Babe ‘Flute’*

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