RESOLVING TIME AMONG NON-STRATIFIED SHORT-DURATION CONTEXTS ON A RADIOCARBON PLATEAU: POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES FROM THE AD 1480–1630 EXAMPLE AND NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA. Issue 6 (13th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Manning, Sturt W; Birch, Jennifer; Conger, Megan Anne; Sanft, Samantha
• Editors: Cherkinsky, Alex; Hadden, Carla S.
• Is Part Of: Radiocarbon. Volume 62:Issue 6(2020)
• Page Start: 1785
• Page End: 1807
• Publication Date: 2020-12-13
• Subjects: Bayesian chronological modeling, -- Iroquoian archaeology, -- radiocarbon dating, -- radiocarbon plateau, -- wiggle-matching; Radiocarbon dating -- Periodicals; 930.1028505
• DOI: 10.1017/RDC.2020.51
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-8222

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Reversals and plateaus in the radiocarbon ( 14 C) calibration curve lead to similar 14 C ages applying to a wide range of calendar dates, creating imprecision, ambiguity, and challenges for archaeological dating. Even with Bayesian chronological modeling, such periods remain a problem when no known order—e.g., a stratigraphic sequence—exists, and especially if site durations are relatively short. Using the reversal/plateau AD 1480–1630 and the archaeology of northeastern North America as our example, we consider possible strategies to improve chronological resolution across such reversal/plateau periods in the absence of stratigraphic sequences, including uses of wood-charcoal TPQs from even very short wiggle-matches, and site phase duration constraints based on ethnohistoric and archaeological evidence.