A charred branch of an olive tree, buried alive in the massive pumice and ash fall from the catastrohic Bronze Age Thera eruption on the Greek Island Santorini, has been radiocarbon dated by wigglematching. The result is the most direct and precise date of the eruption achieved so far: 1613 +/-13 BC calibrated. The dating appears to resolve one of the most intense debates for decades in Near East archaeological chronology. The result is a century earlier than the traditional arhaeological interpretation of the linkage to the Egyption chronology, which places the eruption around 1550 - 1500 BC. It is strongly suggested that either the linkage or the Egyption chronology in this period is at fault. Read more in the Science issue from April 28: Friedrich WL, Kromer B, Friedrich M, Heinemeier J, Pfeiffer T, Talamo S. 2006. Santorini Eruption Radiocarbon Dated to 1627–1600 B.C. Science 312(5773) p 548. (Download file). See also pp 508 and 565 of the same issue.
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The tandem accelerator has essentially been running round the clock producing 14C dates. Substantial instrumental improvements have been made possible by grants from the Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish Natural Science Research Council of about 1.6 million DKK.
With the ensuing high operational efficiency we have reduced the waiting time for dates, which is now typically about 3 months since the beginning of 2005. We also provide express service for urgent samples (3-4 weeks) at an additional cost of 1,500 DKK.
Stable isotopes (deuterium, 13C, 15N) are measured ruotinely with high precision for climate reconstruction and dietary studies on our Isoprime isotope ratio mass spectrometer.
We have methodological studies published recently:
Revised 08.07.2009
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