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Witnessing Prehistoric Delphi by Luminescence Dating C. R. Palevol 14 (2015) 219–232 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Comptes Rendus Palevol www.sci encedirect.com Human Palaeontology and Prehistory Witnessing prehistoric Delphi by luminescence dating Témoignage d’une Delphes préhistorique par la datation par luminescence a,∗ b c,d Ioannis Liritzis , Vassilios Aravantinos , George S. Polymeris , e b b Nikolaos Zacharias , Ioannis Fappas , George Agiamarniotis , f a f Ioanna K. Sfampa , Asimina Vafiadou , George Kitis a University of the Aegean, Department of Mediterranean Studies, Laboratory of Archaeometry, Rhodes, Greece b IXth Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, Thebes, Greece c Laboratory of Radiation Applications and Archaeological Dating, Department of Archaeometry and Physicochemical Measurements, ‘Athena’ - Research and Innovation Center in Information, Communication and Knowledge Technologies, Kimmeria University Campus, 67100 Xanthi, Greece d Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Ankara University (AU-INS), Tandogan Campus, 06100 Ankara, Turkey e Laboratory of Archaeometry, University of the Peloponnese, Department of History, Archaeology and Cultural Recourses Management, Old Camp, 24100 Kalamata, Greece f Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Nuclear Physics Laboratory, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece a r a b s t r a c t t i c l e i n f o Article history: A new research of prehistoric Delphi (Koumoula site, Parnassus Mountain) based on the Received 19 June 2014 absolute dating of an archaeological ceramic assemblage and stonewalls from recent rescue Accepted after revision 26 December 2014 excavation is presented using luminescence techniques. For the chronological estimation Available online 14 April 2015 of the ceramic assemblage, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermolumines- cence (TL) protocols were employed, and the surface luminescence dating technique was Handled by Marcel Otte applied on excavated calcitic rock samples. Dosimetry studies (field and laboratory) were practiced using a combination of a portable calibrated Geiger scintillator, alpha counting Keywords: (pairs technique) set up and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS), the latter also to Prehistory probe information about the chemistry and firing conditions of the ceramics. The results Delphi of the study provided dates that ascribe the site to the Greek Neolithic and Early/Middle Luminescence dating ∼ Ceramics Bronze Age ( 2000 to 5000 years B.C.), forming an absolute chronological framework for Stones the studied area; moreover, these first prehistoric data provide archaeological links for the SEM/EDS parallel use of the site with the nearby Corycian Cave habitation. © 2015 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. r é s u m é Mots clés : Une nouvelle recherche de la Delphes préhistorique (site de Koumoula, mont Parnasse) Préhistoire sur la base de la datation absolue d’un assemblage céramique archéologique et de murs en Delphes pierre provenant de fouilles récentes de sauvetage est présentée ici, en utilisant des tech- Datation niques de luminescence. Pour l’estimation chronologique de l’assemblage céramique, des Luminescence Céramique protocoles de luminescence stimulée optiquement (OSL) et de thermoluminescence (TL) Pierres ont été utilisés ; la technique de datation par luminescence de surface a été appliquée sur MEB/SDE des échantillons de roches calcitiques extraites des fouilles. Des études de dosimétrie (ter- Grèce rain et laboratoire) ont été pratiquées en utilisant la combinaison d’un scintillateur Geiger ∗ Corresponding author. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crpv.2014.12.007 1631-0683/© 2015 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. 220 I. Liritzis et al. / C. R. Palevol 14 (2015) 219–232 calibré portable, d’un compteur alpha (technique des paires), de la microscopie électron- ique à balayage (SEM/EDS), cette dernière technique devant aussi fournir des informations quant à la chimie et aux conditions de cuisson des céramiques. Les résultats de l’étude ont fourni des dates remontant au Néolithique et au Bronze précoce à moyen (∼ 2000 à 5000 ans B.C.) de Grèce, formant un cadre chronologique absolu pour la zone étudiée ; en outre, ces premières données préhistoriques fournissent des liens archéologiques en faveur d’un usage en parallèle du site ici étudié et de l’habitation voisine dite Antre corycien. © 2015 Académie des sciences. Publié par Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits réservés. 1. Introduction 2. Luminescence dating Though the classical sanctuary of Delphi has been well The absolute age of a historical or archaeological studied, the earlier (prehistoric) times of settlement evo- ceramic object is the most significant and useful piece of lution of Delphi environs is poorly studied. The site of information, since this can be used to assist the charac- Koumoula up to Mount Parnassus occupies a prominent terisation of the site, as well as a crosscheck of the age place on the so-called hill that emerges from the Livadhi of a building, structure, or settlement. Among the vari- valley in its southwestern part (Fig. 1a and b). Until a ous dating techniques, luminescence stands as the most drainage work was undertaken sometime in later Pre- effective and well-established one towards the age assess- history (Knauss, 1987a,b, 122–127), the accumulation of ment of heated/burnt materials (Aitken, 1985; Liritzis et al., waters, especially during wintertime, was changing peri- 2013a). Moreover, in the case of a megalithic building or a odically the plain into a spacious lake and the Koumoula stone artefact, the luminescence dating techniques have hill in an island projecting over that. Since it is the only been well-documented (Liritzis, 2011; Liritzis et al., 2008; hill in the area, it attracted human habitation of farmers Theocaris et al., 1994, 1997; Vafiadou et al., 2007). Lumines- and shepherds who cultivated the fertile plain and used cence dating is based on the mechanism whereby minerals the surrounding slopes of Mount Parnassus for the grazing like quartz and feldspars act as natural dosimeters and of their herds (Fig. 1). preserve a record of irradiation dose, i.e. energy per unit Because of this human habitation, some building mass received through time. This dose results mainly from 232 40 87 remains, lithics and lots of pottery sherds are now scat- the decay of natural radionuclides, i.e., Th, K, Rb tered on the entire surface of the Koumoula hill. Previous and natural U, along with cosmic rays, which provide a archaeological survey and trial excavations undertaken constant source of low-level ionizing radiation. The accu- on the hill by the French School at Athens and the mulated dose (equivalent dose in grays, ED) is stored by 10th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities at means of trapped charge in crystal defects, which is sta- Delphi yielded a number of pots and pottery sherds ble over long periods of time but can be released either by recognized as dating back to the Middle and Late Hel- heating (thermoluminescence, TL) or exposure to sunlight ladic periods (∼ 1650–1100 years B.C.), as well as various (optically stimulated luminescence, OSL), while the lumi- stone, bone, and clay tools (Dasios, 1992: 87; Michaud, nescence signal intensity reflects the amount of trapped 1972, 912; Müller, 1992: 452, 490; Touchais, 1981: charge and is proportional to the time elapsed. Every time 95–172). that the material is subjected to prolonged heating (as in Earlier thermoluminescence (TL) dating was performed the case of firing pottery) or intense light exposure (as in the on three ceramics from the Corycian Cave, which lies in case of sunlight), electrons are evicted and traps are emp- close proximity to the Koumoula site, indicating a dating tied. In that case, the material is said to be totally zeroed. to the 4th millennium B.C. (Liritzis, 1979; Touchais, 1981: Afterwards, it could start accumulating energy in the form 170). The Corycian cave has produced material and textural of trapped electrons in order to refill the empty traps once evidence of habitation from Upper Paleolithic to modern again. times, though over intermittent stages (Amandry, 1981). Although TL is the most appropriate technique for dat- In this work, luminescence dating is applied on the ing kilns and pottery, OSL is also an effective method, findings of Delphi prehistoric remains that include typical especially in cases of limited sample in surface dating pottery sherds, as well as stone structures, using various (Aitken, 1998; Liritzis et al., 2013a; Solongo et al., 2014; methodological versions and techniques of luminescence Thomas et al., 2008). (thermoluminescence and optically stimulated lumines- Towards the direction of age determination, two differ- cence, both coined as surface luminescence techniques for ent physical quantities are required; the total accumulated rock surfaces). The aim is to produce a solid chronolog- dose during the past, termed as palaeodose or equivalent ical frame of archaeologically undiagnosed ceramics and dose (ED), as well as the rate at which this energy-dose is associated foundation walls, regarding their use and re- accumulated, termed as dose rate (DR). The ratio of these use, because the construction age of walls of a structure two quantities, i.e. the palaeodose over the dose rate, rep- does not imply the same age of surrounding ceramic find- resents the age of the sample: ings, and uttermost, to compare the end of this settlement Equivalent Dose (Gy) ED with future planned
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