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The Use of Bayesian Statistics for 14C Dates of Chronologically Ordered Samples: A Critical Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Peter Steier  and
Werner Rom
Peter Steier
Affiliation:
Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator, Institut für Radiumforschung und Kernphysik, Universität Wien, Währinger Strasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. Email: [email protected]
Werner Rom
Affiliation:
Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator, Institut für Radiumforschung und Kernphysik, Universität Wien, Währinger Strasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

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Bayesian mathematics provides a tool for combining radiocarbon dating results on findings from an archaeological context with independent archaeological information such as the chronological order, which may be inferred from stratigraphy. The goal is to arrive at both a more precise and a more accurate date. However, by means of simulated measurements we will show that specific assumptions about prior probabilities—implemented in calibration programs and not evident to the user—may create artifacts. This may result in dates with higher precision but lower accuracy, and which are no longer in agreement with the true ages of the findings.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , 2000 , pp. 183 - 198
Copyright
Copyright © 2000 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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