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ADIAS Radiocarbon Archive



[ Calibration method - Radiocarbon laboratories - Information on radiocarbon dating - Online databases of radiocarbon dates ]

Please select one of the following locations:

Abu Al-Abyadh - Balghelam - Dalma - Jebel Dhanna - Marawah - Marawah MR1 radiocarbon dates - Ras Ghumays - Rufayq - Sir Bani Yas



CALIBRATION METHOD

All radiocarbon samples listed here are taken on charcoal or ash and are conventional radiocarbon dates, unless otherwise stated. The dates quoted are uncalibrated radiocarbon years BP. Calibrated radiocarbon dates are presented using the 2-sigma values which account for 95.4% of the probability of the date falling within that particular range. All samples are calibrated using CALIB4.4 - the atmospheric terrestrial calibration curve of Stuiver et al. (1998a,b), except where otherwise stated, e.g. for the MR1 samples, both the atmospheric and marine calibration results are presented. Calibrated age ranges are from the probability distribution using Method B.

Various software for calibrating radiocarbon dates is available via the internet including:

BCal - an on-line Bayesian radiocarbon calibration tool - from Dr. Caitlin Buck, Department of Probability and Statistics, University of Sheffield, U.K.

CALIB4.4 - you can download the program or calibrate dates online.

CalPal Online
- the Cologne Radiocarbon Calibration & Palaeoclimate Research Package.

OxCal calibration software - the latest version is 3.9.


RADIOCARBON LABORATORIES

The ADIAS radiocarbon dates come from a number of different laboratories. Their respective laboratory codes are listed in brackets after each entry.

Heidelberg (Hd), Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Germany.

Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (OxA), within the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford.

ANSTO(OZE), the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, near Sydney in New South Wales.

Rafter Radiocarbon Laboratory (NZA), Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Ltd., Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

The majority of our dates, however, have been undertaken by the:

Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre - SUERC (GU), based in East Kilbride, Scotland, in conjunction with the NSF-Arizona Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (AA), National Science Foundation and the University of Arizona, Tucson.

Special thanks go to Dr. Gordon Cook of SUERC for his assistance and cooperation with our radiocarbon dating programme.


INFORMATION ON RADIOCARBON DATING

Background Guide to Radiocarbon (produced by the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit)

radiocarbon WEB info (produced by the Waikato Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory)


ONLINE DATABASES OF RADIOCARBON DATES

Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland

BANADORA - BAnque NAtionale de DOnnées RAdiocarbone pour l'EUROPE et le PROCHE ORIENT * NEW *-

California Radiocarbon Database

Canadian Archaeological Radiocarbon Database

Carbon Dating Search - Historic Scotland

Irish Radiocarbon Database

Marine Reservoir Correction Database - part of the Queens University Belfast CALIB website.

Near Eastern Radiocarbon Context Database * NEW *- excellent website maintained by Utz Böhner, Daniel Schyle and Steffen Steiner in Germany. This database contains C14-data from Epipalaeolithic, Pre-Pottery Neolithic, Pottery Neolithic and Chalcolithic sites in the Near East and adjacent regions.


ORAU Datelist Index (1975-2000). See also the ORAU Datelist Site Index or the ORAU Datelist OxA Index - Oxford

Stage 3 Databases - archaeological and faunal databases with radiocarbon dates for Palaeolithic Europe.

University of Washington Quaternary Isotope Laboratory Data Sets





Welcome to the ... Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) Radiocarbon archive



ABU AL-ABYADH [ for more information click here ]
 
SITE
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE AD (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
ABY1-7 Sample 3  Sand/Charcoal 1630 +/- 40 BP AA-48043 (GU-9771) 264 - 272 AD (0.013) 
339 - 537 AD (0.987) 
CALIB4.4 - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 13.3 o/oo Daniel Hull 
ABY33.11 Sample 5 Sand/Charcoal 1215 +/- 40 BP AA-48044 (GU-9772) 690 - 754 AD (0.184)
757 - 895 AD (0.795) 
924 - 938 AD (0.020) 
CALIB4.4 - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 11.2 o/oo Daniel Hull
ABY46.1 Sample 11 Sand/Charcoal 180 +/- 40 BP AA-48045 (GU-9773) 1650 - 1705 AD (0.209) 
1720 - 1819 AD (0.519) 

1828 - 1883 AD (0.106) 

1913 - 1950 AD (0.165) 
CALIB4.4 - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 16.0 o/oo Daniel Hull
ABY46.2 Sample 12 Sand/Charcoal 270 +/- 40 BP AA-48046 (GU-9774) 1489 - 1603 AD (0.502) 
1608 - 1673 AD (0.420) 

1777 - 1800 AD (0.073) 

1942 - 1946 AD (0.005) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 25.8 o/oo Daniel Hull



BALGHELAM [ for more information click here ]



 
SITE
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE BC (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
BG3 Hearth 8  ash 2460 +/- 45 BP AA-35538 (GU-8459) 762 - 678 BC (0.270) 
671 - 409 BC (0.730)
CALIB4.4 - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 21.6 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
BG5/6 Hearth 5 (A) ash 2420 +/- 50 BP AA-35537 (GU-8460) 761 - 679 BC (0.245) 
669 - 612 BC (0.104) 

594 - 398 BC (0.651) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 21.6 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
BG5/6 Hearth 19 (A2) ash 3695 +/- 50 BP AA-35536 (GU-8461) 2271 - 2258 BC (0.010) 
2225 - 2225 BC (0.001) 

2203 - 1939 BC (0.987) 

1927 - 1924 BC (0.002) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 12.6 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
BG5/6 Hearth 49 (C) ash 3415 +/- 50 BP AA-35535 (GU-8462) 1879 - 1839 BC (0.107)
1829 - 1603 BC (0.864) 
1561 - 1534 BC (0.028) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 20.7 o/oo Salvatore Garfi



DALMA [ for more information click here ]



All the Dalma samples were dated using the AMS method.
 
SITE 
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE BC (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
DA11 DA11/94/4/RC1 context 4 carbonised datestone (Phoenix dactylifera) 5830 +/- 55  AA-32031 4828 - 4824 BC (0.003) 
4804 - 4545 BC (0.997)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 16.1 o/oo Emily Glover
DA11 DA11/98/15/RC2 context 15 carbonised datestone (Phoenix dactylifera) 6165 +/- 55 AA-32032 5281 - 5271 BC (0.012)
5262 - 4945 BC (0.987)
4865 - 4865 BC (0.001) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 15.9 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech
DA11 ADIAS-2001-DA11-1053-S2 charcoal fragments: humified organic remains 6220 +/- 45 AA-52543 (GU-10608) 5299 - 5056 BC (1.000) CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 14.1 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech
DA11 ADIAS-2001-DA11-1043-S3 ashy sand/charcoal 6395 +/- 60 AA-52544 (GU-10609) 5478 - 5288 BC (0.993)
5269 - 5263 BC (0.007)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 14.3 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech
DA11 ADIAS-2001-DA11-1027-S4 ashy sand, small bits of charcoal 6230 +/- 45 AA-52545 (GU-10610) 5301 - 5189 BC (0.480)
5183 - 5059 BC (0.520)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 22.8 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech
DA11 ADIAS-2001-DA11-1014-S7 charcoal fragments: humified organic remains 5830 +/- 45 AA-52546 (GU-10611) 4785 - 4577 BC (0.957)
4572 - 4551 BC (0.043)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 18.2 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech



JEBEL DHANNA [ for more information click here ]
 


All three samples were dated using the AMS method. Figures in brackets after the calibrated radiocarbon date indicate the relative area under the probability distribution.
 
SITE 
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE AD (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
DH1.1 sample 66 charcoal 170 +/- 40  AA-48047 (GU-9775)  1656 - 1709 AD (0.191)
1718 - 1823 AD (0.497)
1826 - 1885 AD (0.143)
1912 - 1950 AD (0.169)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 22.4 o/oo Dan Hull/
Stephen Rowland 
DH22.2 sample 71a charcoal 190 +/- 50 AA-48048 (GU-9776) 1642 - 1712 AD (0.242)
1716 - 1887 AD (0.605)
1911 - 1950 AD (0.153) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 16.1 o/oo Dan Hull/
Stephen Rowland 
DH22.2 sample 71b charcoal 205 +/- 40 AA-48049 (GU-9777) 1638 - 1697 AD (0.290)
1724 - 1814 AD (0.532)
1833 - 1878 AD (0.040)
1916 - 1949 AD (0.138) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 21.5 o/oo Dan Hull/
Stephen Rowland 



MARAWAH [ for more information click here ]


MARAWAH MR1 RADIOCARBON DATES

As you can see in the table below for the MR1 samples (Hd-20755, Hd-20756 and Hd-20758), utilising the marine calibration curve makes all the dates between c. 400-800 years younger, than if you use the atmospheric terrestrial calibration curve. Even using the marine curve this still makes all the samples quite old, hearths A and C would fall at the upper end of our Dalma date range.

In the case of the MR1 radiocarbon dates .... "The dates were measured at the Heidelberg Radiocarbon Lab by Dr Bernd Kromer. Their calibration is slightly problematic, because the d13C-values are in the range of marine samples. If that were the case they would have to be calibrated against the marine calibration curve, which would decrease the age by at least 400 and at most 800 years. In any case they remain some of the earliest dates measured up to now for sites in the Emirates - as far as I know."  Source: Prof. Hans-Peter Uerpmann, pers.comm.



N.B. the above diagram is prepared using the Terrestrial calibration curve
(N.B. samples Hd-20755, Hd-20756 and Hd-20758 come out 400-800 years younger if the Marine calibration curve is used).


The samples from MR6.1 (OZE-165 and OZE-166) and MR6.3 (NZA-8042) were all dated using the AMS method.

 
SITE 
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE BC / AD (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
MR1 Sample A ash 6314 +/- 74 BP Hd-20755 TERRESTRIAL CALIBRATION CURVE:
5470 - 5431 BC (0.063)
5424 - 5397 BC (0.048)
5392 - 5200 BC (0.695)

5180 - 5136 BC (0.093)

5132 - 5068 BC (0.100)

MARINE CALIBRATION CURVE:
5000 - 4656 BC (1.000)

CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 16.22 o/oo Dr. Geoffrey King
MR1 Sample B  ash 7036 +/- 30 BP Hd-20756 TERRESTRIAL CALIBRATION CURVE:
5988 - 5940 BC (0.355) 

5929 - 5839 BC (0.625) 

5819 - 5812 BC (0.020)

MARINE CALIBRATION CURVE:
5621 - 5511 BC (1.000)

CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 14.81 o/oo Dr. Geoffrey King
MR1 Sample C ash 6446 +/- 56 BP Hd-20758 TERRESTRIAL CALIBRATION CURVE:
5505 - 5505 BC (0.001) 

5482 - 5315 BC (0.993) 

5309 - 5305 BC (0.006)

MARINE CALIBRATION CURVE:
5136 - 4823 BC (1.000)

CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 15.78 o/oo Dr. Geoffrey King
MR6.1 Feature 1 - Layer 12 charcoal 1239 +/- 45 BP OZE-165 679 - 891 AD (1.000) CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 23.83 o/oo Nadia Iacono
MR6.1 Feature 2 - Layer 12 charcoal 1317 +/- 46 BP OZE-166 640 - 782 AD (0.978) 
791 - 811 AD (0.017) 

844 - 850 AD (0.004) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 22.90 o/oo Nadia Iacono
MR6.3 Burial chamber 2 human bone samples 981 +/- 67 BP NZA-8042 901 - 918 AD (0.022) 
958 - 1213 AD (0.978) 
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b . Dr. Soren Blau
MR9 Hearth 34 ash 2255 +/- 35 BP OxA-8018 396 - 346 BC (0.335)
322 - 203 BC (0.665)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al 1998a,b - 21.3 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
MR9 Hearth 58 ash 2455 +/- 65 BP AA-35542 (GU-8455) 775 - 403 BC (1.000) CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 20.7 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
MR9 Hearth 102 ash 3685 +/- 65 BP AA-35541 (GU-8456) 2278 - 2252 BC (0.025)
2230 - 2220 BC (0.008)

2207 - 1885 BC (0.967)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 20.5 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
MR9 Hearth 126 ash 2205 +/- 55 BP AA-35540
(GU-8457)
393 - 147 BC (0.974)
135 - 114 BC (0.026)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 21.9 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
MR9 Hearth 136 ash 1775 +/- 45 BP AA-35539
(GU-8458)
132 - 361 AD (0.970)
367 - 381 AD (0.030)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 22.3 o/oo Salvatore Garfi
MR11.4 Context 26, Find no.16 ashy soil 5850 +/- 50 BP SUERC-1181
(GU-11460)
4833 - 4822 BC (0.016)
4807 - 4580 BC (0.959)
4569 - 4552 BC (0.025)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 15..3 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech
MR11.6 Context 32, Find no.17 ashy soil 5630 +/- 50 BP SUERC-1182
(GU-11461)
4550 - 4350 BC (1.000) CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 15.7 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech
MR11.6 Context 58, Sample no.283 charcoal 6750 +/- 40 BP SUERC-3612 5724 - 5618 CalBC (0.952)
5578 - 5563 CalBC (0.048)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 23.1 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech
MR11.6 Context 55, Sample 195
charcoal 6675 +/- 40 BP SUERC-3608 5663 - 5647 CalBC (0.052)
5644 - 5512 CalBC (0.927)
5497 - 5485 CalBC (0.021)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 23.4 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech



RAS GHUMAYS [ for more information click here ]
 


Sample GU-9186 comprised a scattering of small charcoal fragments within a carbonate sand matrix. The bulk of the woody material was dated, and one of the largest fragments, AA-40741 (GU-9186A), was separately dated by AMS. There is a difference between the two results but given the uncertainties associated with the sample, the magnitude of the difference is not too unreasonable.

 
SITE 
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE AD (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
RG1 RG1/S2/
ADIAS2000/RC6
ashy sand 620 +/- 50 BP GU-9186 1289 - 1410 AD (1.000) CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 17.4 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech and Dr. Geoffrey King
RG1 RG1/S2/
ADIAS2000/RC6
charcoal (selected from ashy sand) 405 +/- 40 BP AA-40741 (GU-9186A) 1429 - 1525 AD (0.742)
1559 - 1630 AD (0.258)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 19.8 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech and Dr. Geoffrey King
RG1 RG1/S3/
ADIAS2000/RC7
ashy sand 610 +/- 50 BP GU-9187 1292 - 1413 AD (1.000) CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 17.1 o/oo Dr. Mark Beech and Dr. Geoffrey King



RUFAYQ [ for more information click here ]


 
SITE 
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE BC (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
RU2.2 RU2.2/
ADIAS2000/RC1
ashy sand/charcoal 2790 +/- 70 BP GU-9156 1185 - 1185 BC (0.001)
1126 - 811 BC (0.999)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 22.0 o/oo Dr. Geoffrey King
RU2.3 RU2.3/
ADIAS2000/RC2
ashy sand/charcoal 2890 +/- 110 BP GU-9157 1373 - 1338 BC (0.033)
1319 - 832 BC (0.967)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 20.9 o/oo Dr. Geoffrey King
RU5.1 RU5.1/
ADIAS2000/RC3
ashy sand/charcoal 2800 +/- 50 BP GU-9158 1110 - 1100 BC (0.011)
1080 - 1061 BC (0.018)

1053 - 829 BC (0.971)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 20.6 o/oo Dr. Geoffrey King
RU5.2 RU5.2/
ADIAS2000/RC4
ashy sand/charcoal 2480 +/- 60 BP GU-9159 781 - 478 BC (0.857)
471 - 411 BC (0.143)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 22.5 o/oo Dr. Geoffrey King



SIR BANI YAS [ for more information click here ]
 


Sample GU-9185 was dated by radiometric analysis, and a small residue was also dated by AMS, AA-40740 (GU-9185A). Although there is a difference in age, there is overlap at 2 sigma.
 
SITE 
CODE
SAMPLE REFERENCE TYPE OF SAMPLE RADIOCARBON AGE BP LAB CODE CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATE AD (2 sigma) CALIBRATION METHOD DELTA 13C REL. PDB SAMPLE TAKEN BY
SBY9 SBY9/124/
ADIAS2000/RC5
charcoal 1460 +/- 70 BP GU-9185 432 - 677 AD (1.000) CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 25.4 o/oo Dr. Joseph Elders and Dr. Mark Beech
SBY9 SBY9/124/
ADIAS2000/RC5
charcoal 1305 +/- 50 BP AA-40740 (GU-9185A) 644 - 783 AD (0.918)
789 - 828 AD (0.055)

840 - 862 AD (0.028)
CALIB4.4   - Stuiver et al. 1998a,b - 25.9 o/oo Dr. Joseph Elders and Dr. Mark Beech


REFERENCES

Online web version of CALIB4.4   -  http://radiocarbon.pa.qub.ac.uk/calib/calib.html

Stuiver, M., P.J. Reimer, E. Bard,  J.W. Beck, G.S. Burr, K.A. Hughen, B. Kromer, F.G. McCormac, J. v.d. Plicht, and M. Spurk. 1998a. Radiocarbon 40:1041-1083.

Stuiver, M., P.J. Reimer, and T.F. Braziunas.  1998b. Radiocarbon 40: 1127-1151  (revised dataset); Stuiver, M. and Braziunas, T.F. (1993) The Holocene 3: 289-305. (original dataset).


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