Journal of Archaeology in the Low Countries 3-1 (November 2011)Felix Weijdema; Otto Brinkkemper; Hans Peeters; Bas van Geel: Early Neolithic human impact on the vegetation in a wetland environment in the Noordoostpolder, central Netherlands
3 Methods

Dating

Three samples from the profile, at 494, 492 and 486 cm below NAP, were selected for radiocarbon dating. A sample containing seeds from non-aquatic plants was chosen to prevent contamination with younger root material and to avoid reservoir effects. Due to lack of material only one of the three samples (494 cm below NAP) was composed of seeds (total 0,596 mg dry weight). The other two were bulk peat samples. Results are shown in table 2.

cm –NAP

14C BP

Laboratory number

material

95,4% (2σ) age intervals after calibration

486

5005 ± 30

GrA-39737

bulk

3812 - 3703 cal BC

3939 - 3859 cal BC

492

5045 ± 30

GrA-39696

bulk

3952 - 3768 cal BC

494

5010 ± 70

GrA-39695

seeds

3685 - 3660 cal BC

3954 - 3690 cal BC

Table 2 Radiocarbon dates of three samples with range in calendar years BP derived from Calib 5.0 ( Stuiver & Reimer 1993 ) using the INTCAL 08 calibration curve.