Published February 1995 | Version v1
Journal article

Radiocarbon dates for beeswax figures in the prehistoric rock art of northern Australia

  • 1. Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, BC (Canada). Dept. of Archaeology
  • 2. Northern Territory Museum, Darwin, NT (Australia)
  • 3. Cambridge Univ. Museum (United Kingdom)
  • 4. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Jabiru, NT (Australia). Kakadu National Park
  • 5. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

Description

Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon ages have been taken for a test suite of small samples of material removed from some of the ''beeswax'' art figures found in rock shelters in northern Australia. The results indicate that we can reliably date this unique form of rock art with no noticeable damage. We had not expected to find figures of any great antiquity, and so were surprised to find that the ages obtained spanned the time period from the recent past to about 4000 BP. (Author)

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Archaeometry
Journal Volume
37
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 151-156.
ISSN
0003-813X
CODEN
ARCHAG

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
United Kingdom
INIS RN
26036269
Subject category
S37: INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY;
Descriptors DEI
CARBON ISOTOPES; CULTURAL OBJECTS; ISOTOPE DATING; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; NORTHERN TERRITORY
Descriptors DEC
AGE ESTIMATION; AUSTRALASIA; AUSTRALIA; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; SPECTROSCOPY