Interpreting <sup>14</sup>C Measurements on 3rd–4th Century AD Iron Artifacts from Nydam, Denmark
Matthias Hüls|John Meadows|Andreas Rau
ABSTRACT Radiocarbon ( 14 C) ages were determined for 10 iron samples from the war booty offering site in Nydam peat bog (SE Denmark), and compared to archaeologically inferred periods of deposition. Additional C measurements carried out modern standards made with charcoal known isotopic composition evaluate possible effects handling. Modern give depleted concentrations, initial composition, may indicate carbon fractionation during dissolution lattice. Further studies are needed verify if this is a common effect production. dating two swords one ax head comparatively good agreement expected deposition times only small old-wood effects. In contrast, rivets (B) oak boat proved difficult due corrosion siderite (FeCO 3 ) conservation wax. A step-combustion procedure was applied, using low (∼570–600°C) temperature prior high (∼970–1000°C) combustion extraction, aiming remove wax before collecting original dissolved Nevertheless, measured differ by about 200–300 years dendro-date they belong to, indicating persisting aging (e.g. old-wood, contamination fossil added making and/or handling dating). Also, recycling older cannot be excluded.
Radiocarbon