Development and application of an analytical method for radiocarbon dating bones using the amino acid hydroxyproline
Archaeological bones are usually dated by radiocarbon measurement of extracted collagen. However, low collagen content, contamination from the burial environment or museum conservation work have previously lead to inaccurate results, especially for old bones, compromising the ability to reconstruct reliable past chronologies. It is reported, for example, that up to 70% of Palaeolithic radiocarbon dates on bones are likely to be underestimates of the real age, blurring the picture of modern human dispersals and Neanderthal extinction. In this thesis, a method for isolating and radiocarbon dating the collagen amino acid hydroxyproline is described. Hydroxyproline consists of about 10% of bone collagen but is not found in significant amounts elsewhere in nature. The hydroxyproline dating method uses a mixed-mode (i.e. ion-exchange combined with hydrophobic chemistry), semi preparative HPLC methodology. The amino acids do not require derivatisation, and no organic solvents are used, thereby avoiding addition of carbon. The hypothesis of this thesis is that the hydroxyproline can be used as a bone specific biomarker, improving dating accuracy and making it possible to obtain radiocarbon determinations where previously
Marom-Rotem, Anat
Archeology ; Dating ; Biochemistry ; radiocarbon dating ; archaeological science ; accelerator mass spectrometry ; hydroxyproline ; anatomically modern humans
Development and application of an analytical method for radiocarbon dating bones using the amino acid hydroxyproline. Archaeological bones are usually dated by radiocarbon measurement of extracted collagen. However, low collagen content, contamination from the burial environment or museum conservation work have previously lead to inaccurate results, especially for old bones, compromising the ability to reconstruct reliable past chronologies. It is reported, for example, that up to 70% of Palaeolithic radiocarbon dates on bones are likely to be underestimates of the real age, blurring the picture of modern human dispersals and Neanderthal extinction. In this thesis, a method for isolating and radiocarbon dating the collagen amino acid hydroxyproline is described. Hydroxyproline consists of about 10% of bone collagen but is not found in significant amounts elsewhere in nature. The hydroxyproline dating method uses a mixed-mode (i.e. ion-exchange combined with hydrophobic chemistry), semi preparative HPLC methodology. The amino acids do not require derivatisation, and no organic solvents are used, thereby avoiding addition of carbon. The hypothesis of this thesis is that the hydroxyproline can be used as a bone specific biomarker, improving dating accuracy and making it possible to obtain radiocarbon determinations where previously
development_application analytical_method radiocarbon_date bone use amino_acid archaeological_bone usually date radiocarbon measurement extract collagen however low collagen content contamination burial_environment museum conservation work previously lead inaccurate especially old bone compromise ability reconstruct reliable past chronology report example palaeolithic radiocarbon_date bone likely real age blur picture modern_human dispersal neanderthal extinction method isolate radiocarbon_date collagen amino_acid describe consist bone_collagen find significant_amount elsewhere nature date_method mixed mode ion exchange combine chemistry semi methodology amino_acid require organic use thereby avoid addition carbon hypothesis use bone specific improve date accuracy make_possible obtain radiocarbon_determination previously