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Scientists from the USA have developed a new dating scale for ancient artifacts (Infographics)
The age of ancient artifacts can now be set more accurately. Cornell University experts have created a new dating scale for antiquities.
The essence of the new method is the use of radiocarbon dating techniques in determining the age of artifacts. Scientists will now be able to determine more accurate dates for the burial of Tutankhamun and the ancient volcanic eruption on the Greek island of Santorini, says in the work of scientists from Cornell University, which is published in the journal Science Advances.
Radiocarbon dating was invented back in the late 40s. Since then, its improved version has been used to determine the age of artifacts not only in archeology, but also in other areas.
This method was used to measure the decomposition of carbon-14, which is formed in all organic substances under the influence of cosmic radiation. But this radiation is not always constant, so they began to measure radiocarbon with wood calibration. A single wood scale for all artifacts in the Northern Hemisphere began to be used since 1986.
A new study has called into question the exact single calibration curve. Scientists compared data from northern Europe (Germany) and from the Mediterranean (central Turkey) in the second and first millennia BC. They concluded that there was a slight difference in carbon concentration between these regions. And this, in turn, has a significant impact on the dating of ancient artifacts.
Previously, scientists came to the conclusion that the length of the day 70 million years ago was 23 hours 30 minutes. They made this conclusion based on the study of an ancient shell.
The essence of the new method is the use of radiocarbon dating techniques in determining the age of artifacts. Scientists will now be able to determine more accurate dates for the burial of Tutankhamun and the ancient volcanic eruption on the Greek island of Santorini, says in the work of scientists from Cornell University, which is published in the journal Science Advances.
Radiocarbon dating was invented back in the late 40s. Since then, its improved version has been used to determine the age of artifacts not only in archeology, but also in other areas.
This method was used to measure the decomposition of carbon-14, which is formed in all organic substances under the influence of cosmic radiation. But this radiation is not always constant, so they began to measure radiocarbon with wood calibration. A single wood scale for all artifacts in the Northern Hemisphere began to be used since 1986.
A new study has called into question the exact single calibration curve. Scientists compared data from northern Europe (Germany) and from the Mediterranean (central Turkey) in the second and first millennia BC. They concluded that there was a slight difference in carbon concentration between these regions. And this, in turn, has a significant impact on the dating of ancient artifacts.
Previously, scientists came to the conclusion that the length of the day 70 million years ago was 23 hours 30 minutes. They made this conclusion based on the study of an ancient shell.