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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Sophie HueglinORCiD
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© 2017 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona. Early Medieval stone building began earlier and was more widespread than previously thought. This conclusion is the result of scientific dating that challenges traditional views of the petrification process in architecture north of the Alps after the Roman period. Radiocarbon (14C) dating is not precise enough to answer detailed questions connected to historical contexts, but recently there have been a number of surprising dates: Roman city walls have now Early Medieval phases or meter-high, obscure dark earth strata were subdivided and dated. Results not in line with clients' expectations can be the subject of heated debates, or worse, tend to remain unpublished. To the archaeologist, who is trying to connect scientific dates with historical events, usually is not clear, that mortar dating is a methodology still being developed, while dating organic material like charcoal from mortar is a standard procedure. But even the latter has downfalls like the possible old-wood-effect, if such complications are not carefully considered and avoided during the sampling process. Drawing on examples from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and France, recent challenging results will be discussed from an archaeologist's point of view.
Author(s): Hueglin S
Publication type: Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
Publication status: Published
Conference Name: 8th Radiocarbon & Archaeology Symposium
Year of Conference: 2017
Pages: 1657-1675
Online publication date: 05/12/2017
Acceptance date: 02/04/2016
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2017.135
DOI: 10.1017/RDC.2017.135
Series Title: Radiocarbon
