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Perspectives and potentials for absolute dating prehistoric rock paintings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Alan Watchman
Alan Watchman*
Affiliation:
Group for Education, Research and Dating of Rock Art, 192 St-Omer, Lévis, Québec, Canada G6V 5C7
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Extract

Absolute dating of prehistoric rock paintings is an exciting archaeological pursuit. Sophisticated sample collection, handling and pretreatment methods and new analytical equipment and techniques are minimizing contamination and permitting identification of trace amounts of organic substances in prehistoric paints. Radiocarbon dating using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is producing dates for minute residues of blood, charcoal and plant fibres, either accidentally or deliberately incorporated in paintings. Carbon-bearing laminations, such as oxalate-crusts and silica skins, which have accumulated under and over rock art, have also been recently dated.

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Antiquity , Volume 67 , Issue 254 , March 1993 , pp. 58 - 65
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Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1993

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