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Cation-Ratio Dating of Varnished Artifacts: Testing the Assumptions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Karen G. Harry
Karen G. Harry*
Affiliation:
Statistical Research, Inc., 2500 North Pantano, Tucson, AZ 85751
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Abstract

Dorn (1983) has proposed that changes in rock varnish chemistry can be used to date varnished artifacts. Specifically, he suggests that the varnish cation ratio, (K + Ca)/Ti, decreases as the age of the varnished surface increases. Although the method is generating significant archaeological interest, many of its underlying assumptions remain undemonstrated. This paper examines one premise of the method, that the varnishing process is regular. Data obtained from varnish distributional studies challenge this assumption and, when compared with the chemical data obtained from the same archaeological site, suggest that the cation-ratio dating technique may not be able to provide accurate dates for most varnished artifacts.

Resumen

Resumen

Dorn (1983) ha propuesto que cambios en la guímica del barniz de las rocas puede usarse para datar artefactos barnizados. Especificamente, él sugiere que el radio de cationes de barniz (K + Ca)/Ti disminuye a medida que la edad de la superficie barnizada aumenta. Aunque el método ha generado un significativo interés arqueológico, muchos de sus supuestos bśicos continúan sin ser demostrados. Este artículo examina una premisa del método, la que sostiene que el proceso de barnizado es regular. Datos obtenidos de estudios de distribución de barniz desafian esta premisa y, cuando son comprados con los datos químicos obtenidos del mismo sitio arqueológico, sugieren que la técnica de datación por radio de cationes podría no ser adecuada para extraer fechas exact as de la majoría de los artefactors barnizados.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 60 , Issue 1 , January 1995 , pp. 118 - 130
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1995

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