Radiocarbon dating of terrestrial molluscs in North East Libya
This thesis investigates the potential of using terrestrial molluscs for radiocarbon dating of archaeological sediments. The sequence at the Haua Fteah, Cyrenaica, in Libya provides a case study. Two strands of study were undertaken as part of the ERC funded Cyrenaica Prehistory Project: the examination of the present day radiocarbon ecology of species in the region; and an analysis of archaeological shell from the Haua Fteah cave with the aim of developing a high-resolution chronology for the upper portions of the site. Previously, the dating for many of the key lithic technological phases in the region has been reliant on a patchwork of sites which were anchored by relatively poor dating on a very small number of long sequences, of which the Haua Fteah is one of the most significant. Based on the findings of the modern study, an age offset of 584 Â± 170 14C years BP was adopted for the correction of the shell reservoir effect in archaeological Helix melanostoma.The radiocarbon dating of archaeological shell from the Haua Fteah and Hagfet et Gama at a very high stratigraphic resolution found that a complex chronological pattern wf=ls present, with frequent dating reversals through the late quaternary sequence.
Hill, Evan Anthony
Radiocarbon dating of terrestrial molluscs in North East Libya. This thesis investigates the potential of using terrestrial molluscs for radiocarbon dating of archaeological sediments. The sequence at the Haua Fteah, Cyrenaica, in Libya provides a case study. Two strands of study were undertaken as part of the ERC funded Cyrenaica Prehistory Project: the examination of the present day radiocarbon ecology of species in the region; and an analysis of archaeological shell from the Haua Fteah cave with the aim of developing a high-resolution chronology for the upper portions of the site. Previously, the dating for many of the key lithic technological phases in the region has been reliant on a patchwork of sites which were anchored by relatively poor dating on a very small number of long sequences, of which the Haua Fteah is one of the most significant. Based on the findings of the modern study, an age offset of 584 Â± 170 14C years BP was adopted for the correction of the shell reservoir effect in archaeological Helix melanostoma.The radiocarbon dating of archaeological shell from the Haua Fteah and Hagfet et Gama at a very high stratigraphic resolution found that a complex chronological pattern wf=ls present, with frequent dating reversals through the late quaternary sequence.
radiocarbon_date terrestrial mollusc north east libya investigate_potential use terrestrial mollusc radiocarbon_date archaeological sediment sequence cyrenaica libya provide case_study two_strand study undertaken part fund cyrenaica prehistory project examination present_day radiocarbon ecology specie region analysis archaeological shell cave aim_develop high_resolution chronology upper portion site previously date many key lithic technological phase region reliant patchwork site anchor relatively poor date small_number long sequence significant based finding modern study age offset adopt correction shell reservoir effect archaeological radiocarbon_date archaeological shell high stratigraphic resolution find complex chronological pattern present frequent date reversal late quaternary sequence