AMS dating of human bone from the Ostorf cemetery in the light of new information on dietary habits and freshwater reservoir effects

TY - JOUR

T1 - AMS dating of human bone from the Ostorf cemetery in the light of new information on dietary habits and freshwater reservoir effects

AU - Olsen, Jesper

AU - Heinemeier, Jan

PY - 2007/12/1

Y1 - 2007/12/1

N2 - Within a project on Stone Age sites of northeastern Germany 26 burials from the Ostorf cemetery and some further Neolithic sites have been analysed by more than 40 AMS-dates. 18 individuals have also been studied on stable isotopes and will be discussed in this presentation. We here present the results of stable isotope and radiocarbon measurements together with control radiocarbon dates on grave goods from terrestrial animals such as tooth pendants found in eleven of the graves. Age differences between human individuals and their associated pendants are used to calculate 14C reservoir effects. The resulting substantial reservoir effects have lead to misleadingly high radiocarbon ages of their remains which originally indicated a surprisingly early occurrence of graves and long term use of this Neolithic burial site. We demonstrate that in order to radiocarbon date the human bones from Ostorf cemetery it is of utmost importance to distinguish between a terrestrial versus freshwater influenced diet. The latter resulted in significant reservoir ages with apparent radiocarbon ages up to 800 years too old. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition may provide a basis for, or an indicator of necessary corrections of dates on humans where no datable grave goods of terrestrial origin such as tooth pendants or tusks are available. Based on the associated control animals, there is no evidence that the dated earliest burials occurred earlier than 3300 BC, in contrast to the original first impression of the grave site.

AB - Within a project on Stone Age sites of northeastern Germany 26 burials from the Ostorf cemetery and some further Neolithic sites have been analysed by more than 40 AMS-dates. 18 individuals have also been studied on stable isotopes and will be discussed in this presentation. We here present the results of stable isotope and radiocarbon measurements together with control radiocarbon dates on grave goods from terrestrial animals such as tooth pendants found in eleven of the graves. Age differences between human individuals and their associated pendants are used to calculate 14C reservoir effects. The resulting substantial reservoir effects have lead to misleadingly high radiocarbon ages of their remains which originally indicated a surprisingly early occurrence of graves and long term use of this Neolithic burial site. We demonstrate that in order to radiocarbon date the human bones from Ostorf cemetery it is of utmost importance to distinguish between a terrestrial versus freshwater influenced diet. The latter resulted in significant reservoir ages with apparent radiocarbon ages up to 800 years too old. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition may provide a basis for, or an indicator of necessary corrections of dates on humans where no datable grave goods of terrestrial origin such as tooth pendants or tusks are available. Based on the associated control animals, there is no evidence that the dated earliest burials occurred earlier than 3300 BC, in contrast to the original first impression of the grave site.

KW - Isotop analyses

KW - Necropoles

KW - Neolithic

KW - Nutrition

KW - Ostorf, Kr. Schwerin

KW - Radiocarbon dating/calibration

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954303405&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:77954303405

SN - 0341-9312

VL - 88

SP - 339

EP - 352

JO - Bericht der Romisch-Germanischen Kommission

JF - Bericht der Romisch-Germanischen Kommission

ER -