Palaeolithic Rivers of South West Britain: Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating of Residual Deposits of the Proto-Axe, Exe, Otter and Washford
Author(s): Dr L S Basell, A G Brown, Dr R T Hosfield, Dr P S Toms
This study contributes to the Palaeolithic Rivers of South-West Britain project, which aims to synthesise the open air archaeological evidence for the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic occupation of south west Britain. Such evidence is dominated by stone tool assemblages found in secondary contexts, within river terrace deposits. Dating these sediments offers an opportunity to delimit periods of hominin occupation. The purpose of this study is to provide an outline of the temporal range of artefact-bearing terraces of the Rivers Axe, Exe, Otter, and Doniford by means of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. In total, 26 sediment samples were dated. The reliability of age estimates was assessed on the basis of analytical acceptability and, where possible, the degree of age convergence from samples of divergent dosimetry obtained from equivalent stratigraphic units. It is surmised that the Axe was aggrading at intervals between at least 86 and 401ka (Marine Isotope Stages 5 to 10), the Exe before 10ka and perhaps further back than 86ka (MIS >1 to >5), the Otter before 66ka and by at least 209ka (MIS >3 to 7), and the Doniford at intervals between at least 22 and 71ka (MIS 2 to 4). The age estimates of sediments from the Exe, Otter, and Doniford indicate that some Palaeolithic finds in these catchments have been reworked; nonetheless the chronology greatly facilitates comparison with the cave sequences in the region by providing a preliminary spatio-temporal model for open sites.
- Report Number:
- 2/2008
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 52
- Keywords:
- Optically Stimulated Luminescence Palaeolithic
