Testing feldspar luminescence dating of young archaeological heated materials using potshards from Pella (Tell Tabqat Fahl) in the Jordan valley
, , and
May 02, 2017
About this article
Published Online: May 02, 2017
Page range: 98 - 110
Received: Mar 19, 2016
Accepted: Jan 30, 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/geochr-2015-0056
Keywords
© 2016 S. al Khasawneh.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Summary of ages and related data for 52 potshards_ The samples rejected because of low luminescence intensity (test dose response minus background, T-Bg, < 1000) are identified by italics, and the single underlined sample was rejected because of poor recycling ratio_ The 3 outliers discussed in the text are highlighted in grey_
Sample No. | Age | Rand. Error | De | Dose rate | (T-Bg) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | L10.6.1 | 2.4 ± 0.2 | 0.2 | 12.7 ± 0.6 | 5.2 ± 0.4 | 2802 |
2 | L10.6.2 | 2.4 ± 0.2 | 0.2 | 10.5 ± 0.6 | 4.3 ± 0.3 | 2058 |
3 | L10.6.3 | 2.9 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 15.2 ± 1.1 | 5.2 ± 0.4 | 1334 |
4 | L10.6.4 | 2.8 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 37.4 ± 2.4 | 13.5 ± 0.9 | 1852 |
5 | L10.6.5 | 2.7 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 13.9 ± 0.9 | 5.2 ± 0.4 | 3256 |
6 | L10.6.6 | 2.4 ± 0.2 | 0.11 | 12.0 ± 0.2 | 5.0 ± 0.4 | 11175 |
7 | L10.6.7 | 2.4 ± 0.2 | 0.11 | 12.04 ± 0.2 | 5.1 ± 0.4 | 11127 |
8 | L10.6.8 | 3.0 ± 0.2 | 0.13 | 14.2 ± 0.2 | 4.6 ± 0.3 | 2870 |
11 | L10.6.12 | 3.8 ± 0.5 | 0.4 | 22.1 ± 1.9 | 5.8 ± 0.4 | 2995 |
14 | L10.6.16 | 2.6 ± 0.2 | 0.11 | 13.7 ± 0.3 | 5.2 ± 0.4 | 3210 |
15 | L10.6.17 | 3.1 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 19.3 ± 0.7 | 6.3 ± 0.5 | 4630 |
16 | L15.1.1 | 3.7 ± 0.6 | 0.5 | 25.2 ± 2.8 | 6.8 ± 0.6 | 1275 |
17 | L15.1.2 | 2.9 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 16.89 ± 1.0 | 5.8 ± 0.5 | 1126 |
18 | L15.1.3 | 2.4 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 15.5 ± 0.8 | 6.6 ± 0.6 | 2601 |
19 | L15.1.4 | 2.3 ± 0.2 | 0.14 | 14.2 ± 0.3 | 6.2 ± 0.6 | 8952 |
20 | L15.1.6 | 2.5 ± 0.2 | 0.15 | 15.6 ± 0.3 | 6.3 ± 0.6 | 5894 |
22 | L15.1.8 | 3.0 ± 0.4 | 0.3 | 20.8 ± 1.8 | 6.9 ± 0.6 | 3714 |
23 | L15.1.9 | 3.5 ± 0.4 | 0.3 | 22.1 ± 1.3 | 6.3 ± 0.5 | 1257 |
24 | L15.1.10 | 3.7 ± 0.4 | 0.2 | 32.7 ± 0.7 | 8.9 ± 0.9 | 3879 |
25 | L15.1.11 | 4.1 ± 0.5 | 0.3 | 29.3 ± 1.5 | 7.2 ± 0.7 | 3146 |
26 | L15.1.12 | 8.7 ± 1.3 | 1.1 | 38.8 ± 4.4 | 4.5 ± 0.4 | 3631 |
27 | L15.1.13 | 3.2 ± 0.4 | 0.3 | 16.1 ± 1.2 | 5.0 ± 0.5 | 4649 |
30 | L15.1.16 | 2.5 ± 0.3 | 0.3 | 18.6 ± 1.8 | 7.4 ± 0.7 | 1164 |
33 | L15.1.19 | 1.5 ± 0.2 | 0.2 | 11.9 ± 1.2 | 8.0 ± 0.8 | 1221 |
34 | L15.1.20 | 4.0 ± 0.4 | 0.3 | 24.3 ± 0.9 | 6.1 ± 0.5 | 3073 |
35 | L15.2.1 | 2.6 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 13.3 ± 0.9 | 5.2 ± 0.4 | 1498 |
36 | L15.2.2 | 2.7 ± 0.2 | 0.12 | 12.3 ± 0.3 | 4.6 ± 0.3 | 3561 |
37 | L15.2.3 | 2.3 ± 0.2 | 0.14 | 18.9 ± 0.9 | 8.4 ± 0.7 | 1617 |
38 | L15.2.4 | 6.5 ± 0.6 | 0.4 | 25.3 ± 1.4 | 3.9 ± 0.3 | 1284 |
39 | L15.2.5 | 2.9 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 16.1 ± 0.8 | 5.6 ± 0.4 | 1322 |
40 | L15.2.6 | 1.69 ± 0.14 | 0.12 | 13.6 ± 0.5 | 8.1 ± 0.6 | 5259 |
41 | L15.2.7 | 6.7 ± 0.7 | 0.6 | 58.2 ± 4.7 | 8.7 ± 0.6 | 3657 |
42 | L15.2.8 | 2.5 ± 0.4 | 0.4 | 14 ± 2 | 5.6 ± 0.4 | 1245 |
44 | L15.2.10 | 2.5 ± 0.2 | 0.10 | 19.5 ± 0.3 | 7.7 ± 0.6 | 10969 |
48 | L15.2.15 | 4.4 ± 0.3 | 0.2 | 26.2 ± 0.6 | 6.0 ± 0.4 | 12303 |
49 | L15.2.17 | 4.5 ± 0.5 | 0.4 | 23.9 ± 1.8 | 5.3 ± 0.4 | 1065 |
50 | L15.2.18 | 1.95 ± 0.2 | 0.2 | 10.9 ± 0.8 | 5.6 ± 0.4 | 4011 |
51 | L15.2.19 | 2.0 ± 0.2 | 0.12 | 10.9 ± 0.3 | 5.4 ± 0.4 | 2620 |
Relevant radiocarbon ages for samples from the destruction horizon_ The calibration of 14C dates with the calibration software OxCal version 3_10_, and the calibration curve lntCal09 (Fischer, 2013)Vera 5308 and 5316 were processed by Professor Peter Fischer at Vienna in 2011, as part of an SCIEM2000 project on the Iron Age chronology of the Jordan Valley (Wild and Fischer, 2013, 461, n_90)_ Bourke would like to thank Fischer for making these dates available for discussion here__
VERA# | 14C age | Era and | Calibrated 2σ | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pella | VERA 5311 | 2940 ± 35 | IAI-II | 1270–1020 BCE (94%) |
Pella | VERA 5301 | 2930 ± 35 | IAI-II | 1260–1010 BCE (91%) |
Pella | VERA 5316 | 2925 ± 35 | IAI-II | 1260–1010 BCE (95%) |
Pella | VERA 5310 | 2885 ± 35 | IAI-II | 1210–970 BCE (93%) |
Activities derived from gamma spectrometry for the standards used in Ankjærgaard and Murray (2007) together with a comparison of their conversion factors and those derived here using the modifactions discussed in the text_
238U | 232Th | 40K | Observed | CR/β | MCR/β | CR/α | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
238U standard | 972 ± 9 | 14.7 ± 0.7 | 515 ± 10 | 739.4 ± 1.6 | 66.7 ± 3.1 | 53.05 ± 0.96 | 3.9 ± 0.1 |
232Th standard | 9.36 ± 1.23 | 1792 ± 30 | 571 ± 14 | 878.56 ± 1.84 | 61.3 ± 0.8 | 56.7 ± 1.9 | 2.4 ± 0.1 |
40K standard | - | - | 13767 ± 94 | 61.20 ± 1 | 61.20 ± 1 | - |
gamma spectrometry analyses of mixtures of 14 potshards from each layer, and the fractional contribution from each nuclide to beta count rate factors_
Beta dose rate (Gy/ka) | Alpha dose rate (Gy/ka) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
238U | 232Th | 40K | 238U | 232Th | |
L10.6 | 1.21 ± 0.02 | 0.137 ± 0.006 | 1.13 ± 0.05 | 22.9 ± 0.3 | 3.6 ± 0.2 |
L15.1 | 2.32 ± 0.04 | 0.182 ± 0.008 | 1.51 ± 0.12 | 44.1 ± 0.6 | 4.9 ± 0.3 |
L15.2 | 0.843 ± 0.014 | 0.09 ± 0.01 | 0.79 ± 0.05 | 16.1 ±0.2 | 2.5 ± 0.2 |
Fractional beta count rate contribution from each nuclide | |||||
238U | 232Th | 40K | Observed average beta count rate (cks-1) | ||
L10.6 | 0.45 ± 0.02 | 0.055 ± 0.003 | 0.49 ± 0.03 | 150 ± 2 | |
L15.1 | 0.55 ± 0.03 | 0.045 ± 0.005 | 0.41 ±0.05 | 180 ± 3 | |
L15.2 | 0.45 ± 0.02 | 0.054 ± 0.005 | 0.5 ± 0.04 | 198 ± 2 |
Summary of average ages of each layer and the site average age_
Layer | Number of accepted | Age average | Random uncertainty | Total uncertainty | Over-dispersion | Over-dispersion |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
L10.6 | 11 | 2.79 | 0.13 | 0.24 | 0.29 | 10.5 |
L15.1 | 14 | 3.45 | 0.45 | 0.54 | 1.14 | 36.1 |
L15.2 | 13 | 3.32 | 0.49 | 0.51 | 1.27 | 42.2 |
L10.6 | 11 | 2.79 | 0.13 | 0.24 | 0.29 | 10.5 |
L15.1 | 13 | 3.02 | 0.21 | 0.30 | 0.74 | 25.1 |
L15.2 | 11 | 2.72 | 0.28 | 0.34 | 0.75 | 28.6 |
Including outliers | 38 | 3.20 | 0.20 | 0.30 | 1.0 | 33.8 |
Excluding outliers | 35 | 2.85 | 0.12 | 0.22 | 0.66 | 24.1 |
Derived beta and alpha dose rates using the observed beta count rate from each shard_ The gamma dose derived from gamma spectrometry analyses of sediment samples from each layer is given at the end of the table_
Sample | Observed beta | Beta dose | Alpha dose | |
---|---|---|---|---|
L10.6.1 | 170 ± 2 | 2.98 ± 0.10 | 28.83 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.2 | 131 ± 2 | 2.30 ± 0.08 | 22.32 ± 0.03 | |
L10.6.3 | 170 ± 2 | 2.98 ± 0.10 | 28.90 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.4 | 441 ± 3 | 7.7 ± 0.3 | 74.87 ± 0.09 | |
L10.6.5 | 168 ± 2 | 2.94 ± 0.10 | 28.45 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.6 | 156 ± 2 | 2.73 ± 0.09 | 26.43 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.7 | 153 ± 2 | 2.68 ± 0.09 | 25.98 ± 0.03 | |
L10.6.8 | 139 ± 2 | 2.44 ± 0.08 | 23.60 ± 0.03 | |
L10.6.9 | 142 ± 2 | 2.49 ± 0.08 | 24.12 ± 0.03 | |
L10.6.11 | 105 ± 2 | 1.85 ± 0.07 | 17.86 ± 0.02 | |
L10.6.12 | 183 ± 2 | 3.22 ± 0.11 | 31.15 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.13 | 177 ± 2 | 3.11 ± 0.10 | 30.06 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.14 | 123 ± 2 | 2.16 ± 0.07 | 20.90 ± 0.03 | |
L10.6.15 | 136 ± 2 | 2.39 ± 0.08 | 23.13 ± 0.03 | |
L10.6.16 | 168 ± 2 | 2.95 ± 0.10 | 28.51 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.17 | 217 ± 3 | 3.81 ± 0.13 | 36.83 ± 0.05 | |
L10.6.18 | 156 ± 2 | 2.74 ± 0.10 | 26.55 ± 0.04 | |
L10.6.19 | 106 ± 2 | 1.85 ± 0.07 | 17.94 ± 0.03 | |
L10.6.20 | 131.6 ± 2 | 2.31 ± 0.08 | 22.34 ± 0.03 | |
L15.1.1 | 192 ± 3 | 3.4 ± 0.2 | 37.64 ± 0.08 | |
L15.1.2 | 165 ± 3 | 2.9 ± 0.2 | 32.32 ± 0.07 | |
L15.1.3 | 188 ± 3 | 3.3 ± 0.2 | 36.89 ± 0.07 | |
L15.1.4 | 172 ± 3 | 3.1 ± 0.2 | 33.76 ± 0.07 | |
L15.1.6 | 177 ± 2 | 3.2 ± 0.2 | 34.8 ± 0.8 | |
L15.1.7 | 144 ± 2 | 2.55 ± 0.14 | 28.17 ± 0.06 | |
L15.1.8 | 196 ± 2 | 3.5 ± 0.2 | 38.55 ± 0.08 | |
L15.1.9 | 172 ± 2 | 3.1 ± 0.2 | 33.68 ± 0.07 | |
L15.1.10 | 292 ± 3 | 5.2 ± 0.3 | 57.38 ± 0.11 | |
L15.1.11 | 219 ± 3 | 3.9 ± 0.2 | 43.03 ± 0.08 | |
L15.1.12 | 123 ± 2 | 2.19 ± 0.12 | 24.18 ± 0.08 | |
L15.1.13 | 144 ± 2 | 2.56 ± 0.14 | 28.30 ± 0.06 | |
L15.1.14 | 165 ± 2 | 2.9 ± 0.2 | 32.47 ± 0.06 | |
L15.1.15 | 177 ± 2 | 3.2 ± 0.2 | 34.81 ± 0.07 | |
L15.1.16 | 222 ± 2 | 3.9 ± 0.2 | 43.51 ± 0.08 | |
L15.1.17 | 172 ± 2 | 3.1 ± 0.2 | 33.72 ± 0.07 | |
L15.1.18 | 135 ± 2 | 2.41 ± 0.13 | 26.58 ± 0.05 | |
L15.1.19 | 248 ± 3 | 4.4 ± 0.2 | 48.77 ± 0.09 | |
L15.1.20 | 169 ± 3 | 3.0 ± 0.2 | 33.18 ± 0.07 | |
L15.2.1 | 157 ± 2 | 2.76 ± 0.11 | 26.79 ± 0.04 | |
L15.2.2 | 134 ± 2 | 2.34 ± 0.10 | 22.74 ± 0.04 | |
L15.2.3 | 281 ± 3 | 4.9 ± 0.2 | 47.80 ± 0.07 | |
L15.2.4 | 108 ± 2 | 1.89 ± 0.08 | 18.36 ± 0.03 | |
L15.2.5 | 179 ± 3 | 3.13 ± 0.13 | 30.39 ± 0.05 | |
L15.2.6 | 264 ± 3 | 4.6 ± 0.2 | 44.97 ± 0.07 | |
L15.2.7 | 283 ± 3 | 5.0 ± 0.2 | 48.17 ± 0.05 | |
L15.2.8 | 176 ± 2 | 3.08 ± 0.12 | 29.89 ± 0.05 | |
L15.2.9 | 133 ± 2 | 2.34 ± 0.10 | 22.66 ± 0.04 | |
L15.2.10 | 259 ± 3 | 4.6 ± 0.2 | 44.15 ± 0.07 | |
L15.2.12 | 221 ± 2 | 3.9 ± 0.2 | 37.68 ± 0.06 | |
L15.2.13 | 211 ± 2 | 3.7 ± 0.2 | 35.98 ± 0.06 | |
L15.2.14 | 200 ± 2 | 3.50 ± 0.14 | 34.00 ± 0.05 | |
L15.2.15 | 184 ± 2 | 3.23 ± 0.13 | 31.35 ± 0.05 | |
L15.2.17 | 172 ± 2 | 3.01 ± 0.12 | 29.25 ± 0.05 | |
L15.2.18 | 168 ± 2 | 2.94 ± 0.12 | 28.54 ± 0.05 | |
L15.2.19 | 162 ± 2 | 2.84 ± 0.11 | 27.55 ± 0.04 | |
L15.2.20 | 136 ± 2 | 2.39 ± 0.10 | 23.21 ± 0.04 | |
External dose rate | ||||
Soil samples | Gamma dose rate (Gy/ka) | 238U (Bq/kg) | 232Th (Bq/kg) | 40K (Bq/kg) |
L10.6 | 1.01 ± 0.12 | 132 ± 32 | 13.8 ± 1.6 | 502 ± 25 |
L15.1 | 1.64 ± 0.15 | 180 ± 24 | 12.9 ± 1.3 | 341 ± 21 |
L15.2 | 1.26 ± 0.11 | 130 ± 23 | 11.4 ± 1.8 | 325 ± 24 |