Serpentine bends site #1: Radiocarbon dating prehistoric soot and associated pictographs. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rowe, Marvin W.; Loendorf, Lawrence L.; Miller, Myles R.; Steelman, Karen L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 37(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico -- Plasma oxidation -- Smoke blackening -- Soot or pyrolyzed carbon -- Pictographs -- Rock paintings -- AMS radiocarbon dating; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.102925
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Highlights: Plasma oxidation followed by AMS 14 C used to date pictographs and prehistoric soot. Pictograph dates are consistent with other ages for similar motifs at nearby sites. We obtained four AMS dates on carbon from prehistoric soot on the rockshelter wall. Soot ages represent a weighted average of multiple fires, instead of a single event. Soot dates represents a minimum age for human activity at the site. Abstract: At Serpentine Bends Site #1, we employed plasma oxidation followed by accelerator mass spectrometry to radiocarbon date two prehistoric rock paintings as well as soot on the shelter ceiling. Pictograph results are 2325 ± 30 14 C years BP for a black line and 1315 ± 40 14 C years BP for a red outline of a circle motif. We also utilized X-ray diffraction to chemically identify pyrolyzed carbon in the black stain on the shelter ceiling, confirming that it is from fire smoke. Four radiocarbon ages for the soot represent a weighted average of multiple fires, instead of a single event. The oldest result of 2740 ± 70 14 C years BP is from the underlying black soot closest to the rock substrate and, as a weighted average of multiple layers, represents a minimum age for human activity at the site. Dating both pictographs and prehistoric soot provide novel methods for dating human activity within rockshelters around the world, especially when there is a lack of excavated materials for study.