Building a high-resolution chronology of a medieval urban site through Bayesian modelling*

TY - JOUR

T1 - Building a high-resolution chronology of a medieval urban site through Bayesian modelling*

AU - Haase, K.

AU - Olsen, J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Danish National Research Foundation (grant number DNRF119), the Centre of Excellence for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet), and The Velux Foundation (grant ‘Urban Encounters’). We thank the anonymous reviewers whose helpful comments improved and clarified the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 University of Oxford Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/8

Y1 - 2021/8

N2 - This paper shows that combining stratigraphic information with dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating in a Bayesian model is a powerful tool in producing a high-resolution chronology for a medieval urban site. By using all available archaeological information, it is possible to construct a chronology of higher accuracy, transparency and reproducibility than that created through informal interpretation and ceramics chronologies. The example shows how a modelling process is also a valuable tool in validating and reassessing the stratigraphic interpretations. The model is used on two levels: (1) to establish the overall site chronology; and (2) to investigate the age and duration of individual events and structures. Finally, since the model is constructed independently of ceramics chronologies, it is suggested that the current local ceramics chronology could be revised.

AB - This paper shows that combining stratigraphic information with dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating in a Bayesian model is a powerful tool in producing a high-resolution chronology for a medieval urban site. By using all available archaeological information, it is possible to construct a chronology of higher accuracy, transparency and reproducibility than that created through informal interpretation and ceramics chronologies. The example shows how a modelling process is also a valuable tool in validating and reassessing the stratigraphic interpretations. The model is used on two levels: (1) to establish the overall site chronology; and (2) to investigate the age and duration of individual events and structures. Finally, since the model is constructed independently of ceramics chronologies, it is suggested that the current local ceramics chronology could be revised.

KW - Bayesian modelling

KW - medieval

KW - radiocarbon dating

KW - Scandinavia

KW - urban archaeology

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85099051746

U2 - 10.1111/arcm.12651

DO - 10.1111/arcm.12651

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85099051746

SN - 0003-813X

VL - 63

SP - 860

EP - 877

JO - Archaeometry

JF - Archaeometry

IS - 4

ER -