Single-grain OSL dating at La Grotte des Contrebandiers (‘Smugglers’ Cave’), Morocco: improved age constraints for the Middle Paleolithic levels

Jacobs, Zenobia; Meyer, Michael C.; Roberts, Richard G.; Aldeias, Vera; Dibble, Harold L.; Hajraoui, Mohamed Abdeljalil El

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2011.08.033

Cited by 95 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…In principle, we would expect infinite ages for bedrock samples from Roc de Marsal; in particular, it is surprising that we are able to remove all grains in saturation using the D 0 selection criterion (unless, for some reason, bedrock grains exhibit lower D 0 values than other grains in the sediment). However, similar observations (finite D e values) with grains from bedrock samples were reported elsewhere in comparable contexts (Contrebandiers Cave: Jacobs et al, 2011), even although the calcareous bedrock may be of Pleistocene age in this case -which could explain the finite D e values. Thus, the assumption that best fits our observations is that endokarstic processes lead to limited, insufficient exposure of quartz grains from the bedrock at the time of sediment deposition.…”

Section: Which Chronology For the Roc De Marsal Sequence?supporting

confidence: 88%

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

Guérin

Frouin

Tuquoi

et al. 2017

Quaternary International

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Located in southwest France, Roc de Marsal is a cave with a rich Mousterian stratigraphic sequence. The lower part of the sequence (Layers 9-5) are characterized by assemblages dominated by Levallois lithic technology associated with composite faunal spectra (including red deer, roe deer and reindeer) that shows a gradual increase in the frequency of reindeer. The top of the sequence (Layers 4-2) are characterised instead by Quina lithic technology (both in terms of technology and typology) with the faunal remains dominated by reindeer. Roc de Marsal thus provides a very interesting case study to place behavioural changes in a context of changing climates and environments in western Europe during the late Pleistocene. To link the occupations at Roc de Marsal with global and regional climatic conditions known independently, a robust chronology is needed. With this aim in mind, we applied three luminescence dating methods (TL, OSL and IRSL) on different minerals (flint, quartz and K-feldspar extracts). Here the results of two of these methods are presented in detail (TL and OSL) and compared with preliminary IRSL data. At Roc de Marsal, a comparison of methods was necessary to overcome a complex sedimentary history, with very heterogeneous dose rate distributions, both at the beta (mm) and gamma (dm) dose rate scales. The results indicate that the lower Levallois layers are dated to ~65-70 ka, while overlying Quina layers are dated to ~49 ka. These ages for the lower layers fit well with some models that place mixed faunal assemblages in the initial MIS 4; however, while the Quina ages overlap with several other Quina assemblages from the region, they place the reindeer dominated fauna well after the peak cold of MIS 4 and suggest a more extended and complex period of contemporaneous lithic techno-complexes than posited by some current models. AbstractLocated in southwest France, Roc de Marsal is a cave with a rich Mousterian stratigraphic sequence. The lower part of the sequence (Layers 9-5) are characterized by assemblages dominated by Levallois lithic technology associated with composite faunal spectra (including red deer, roe deer and reindeer) that shows a gradual increase in the frequency of reindeer. The top of the sequence (Layers 4-2) are characterised instead by Quina lithic technology (both in terms of technology and typology) with the faunal remains dominated by reindeer. Roc de Marsal thus provides a very interesting case study to place behavioural changes in a context of changing climates and environments in western Europe during the late Pleistocene. To link the occupations at Roc de Marsal with global and regional climatic conditions known independently, a robust chronology is needed. With this aim in mind, we applied three luminescence dating methods (TL, OSL and IRSL) on different minerals (flint, quartz and K-feldspar extracts). Here the results of two of these methods are presented in detail (TL and OSL) and compared with preliminary IRSL data. At Roc de Marsal, a comparison of metho...

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Section: Which Chronology For the Roc De Marsal Sequence?supporting

confidence: 88%

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

Guérin

Frouin

Tuquoi

et al. 2017

Quaternary International

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“…For example, Jacobs et al (2008) state that, based on the work by Olley et al (2004b) "samples consisting of well-bleached quartz grains commonly have De distributions that are overdispersed by up to 20%"; then, they "ran the FMM using σ d values of between 10 and 20%" (Jacobs et al, 2008;Supporting Online Material, p. 13). On the same subject of the application of the FMM to identify well-bleached components, and in particular when justifying that a maximum of 20 % for the OD value is used to run the FMM, Jacobs et al (2011) state that "there is little merit *…+ in using very high OD values (NB: greater than 20%), as the latter are poor analogues for a wellbleached sample" (see Supplementary Material, p. 17). This supposed 20 % limit was originally based on a study comprising 7 samples (Olley et al, 2004b), of which only 2 gave an overdispersion value greater than 20 %; of these two, only one (sample OSL 6) clearly required the minimum age model to be applied for a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 6 better agreement with radiocarbon (for sample OSL 5, both the MAM and the CAM give results consistent with radiocarbon data, and it is hard to tell if one of the two models is better than the other).…”

Section: Results: Compared Single-grain Agesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the accuracy of a Bayesian central-dose model for single-grain OSL, using known-age samples

Guérin

Combès

Lahaye

et al. 2015

Radiation Measurements

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While reviews of comparisons between multi-grain OSL ages and independent chronological information are available in the literature, there is hardly any such performance test for single-grain OSL ages. And yet, this is all the more needed as the interpretation of single-grain dose distributions remains a difficult task, given the typically considerable dispersion in equivalent dose values measured by OSL -and the numerous sources of such dispersion in measurements. In this study, we present the OSL study of 19 samples for which independent age control is available, and whose ages range from 2 to 46 ka. Based on multi-grain OSL age estimates, these samples are presumed to have been both well-bleached at burial, and unaffected by mixing after deposition. Two ways of estimating single-grain ages are then compared: the standard approach on the one hand, consisting of applying the Central Age Model to D e values determined with the Analyst software; on the other hand, the central dose model recently proposed by Combès et al. (Combès, B., Philippe, A., Lanos, P., Mercier, N., Tribolo, C., Guerin, G., Guibert, P., Lahaye, C., in press. Quaternary Geochronology). The median of the relative discrepancy between single-grain OSL and reference ages is about twice as large for the standard approach (12%) than with the Bayesian model (7%). Statistical tests show that, based on our (limited) data set, the difference between the two models seems to be significant for samples in the age range 4-46 ka. Finally, the influence of various factors on the (in-)accuracy of single grain OSL ages is discussed; it appears that the accuracy of ages estimated in a standard way decreases when age is increased, while the Bayesian model seems more robust. This study also shows that (i) there is no 20 % limit on the CAM overdispersion parameter for well-bleached samples; (ii) dose recovery experiments do not seem to be a very reliable tool to estimate the accuracy of a SAR measurement protocol for age determination. Highlights-Samples with independent age control are dated by OSL -Their ages range from 2 to 46 ka -Multi-grain OSL ages indicate no bleaching/mixing problem -Single-grain OSL is analysed using two different models -A Bayesian approach is expected to lead to improved accuracy

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“…One of the most important advantages of single grain measurements of quartz is the ability to identify and eliminate individual grains that exhibit aberrant luminescence characteristics, as these can lead to erroneous D e estimates when grains are combined on a multi-grain aliquot (Jacobs et al, 2006;Jacobs and Roberts, 2007). In addition to the removal of grains with aberrant luminescence behaviours, analysis of individual grains of quartz has further benefits in archaeological contexts where: 1) post-depositional disturbances (Jacobs et al, 2006(Jacobs et al, , 2008bFeathers et al, 2006Feathers et al, , 2010David et al, 2007), and 2) the possibility of roof spall contamination and other forms of non-homogeneous bleaching (Roberts et al, 1998Jacobs et al, 2011) are of concern (Jacobs and Roberts, 2007). The archaeological sediments at Les Cott es show little potential for mixing because of the clear separation between archaeological units and sedimentary units that are archaeologically sterile.…”

Section: Optical Datingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing of a single grain OSL chronology across the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition at Les Cottés (France)

Jacobs

Jankowski

et al. 2015

Journal of Archaeological Science

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a b s t r a c tThe timing of the Middle Palaeolithic to Upper Palaeolithic transition in France is important to help understand when, where and how Neanderthals have been replaced by Homo sapiens. Radiocarbon dating has been the dating workhorse in constructing the chronological framework pertinent to these questions. In this study, we are testing whether single grain OSL dating has the accuracy and precision to be useful as a complementary dating method. The site of Les Cott es provides an ideal testing ground because of its stratigraphic integrity and reliable radiocarbon chronology. We applied single grain OSL dating of quartz to 19 samples and multi-aliquot MET-pIRIR dating of potassium-rich feldspar grains to 5 samples to explicitly test assumptions of pre-depositional resetting of the OSL signal and postdepositional exposure to variable beta dose rates. The good agreement between the single grain OSL and the multi-aliquot MET pIRIR ages suggest that the optical signals of both quartz and feldspar grains were reset prior to deposition and that much of the extra scatter observed in the equivalent dose distribution of quartz grains are likely due to the small-scale differences in beta dose delivered to individual grains. Both the quartz OSL and feldspar MET-pIRIR ages show great consistency with the 14 C ages on bone collected from the same units. This gives confidence in the measurement and analytical approaches used to derive both the equivalent dose and dose rate, the numerator and denominator, respectively, of the luminescence age equation. These results suggest that a systematic and detailed single grain OSL dating study can have the accuracy and precision that is necessary to play a powerful role in the dating of the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic transition and other questions of importance in this time range and geographical area.

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Single-grain OSL dating at La Grotte des Contrebandiers (‘Smugglers’ Cave’), Morocco: improved age constraints for the Middle Paleolithic levels

Cited by 95 publications

References 55 publications

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

The complementarity of luminescence dating methods illustrated on the Mousterian sequence of the Roc de Marsal: A series of reindeer-dominated, Quina Mousterian layers dated to MIS 3

Testing the accuracy of a Bayesian central-dose model for single-grain OSL, using known-age samples

Testing of a single grain OSL chronology across the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition at Les Cottés (France)

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