Precise Calendrical Dating of Known Growth-Period Samples Using a ‘Curve Fitting’ Technique

Abstract

Absolute high-precision radiocarbon time-scale calibration is now available and is shown by Stuiver and Pearson (1986) and Pearson and Stuiver (1986) to be internationally valid. The technique of curve fitting presented in this paper shows how certain samples may be dated calendrically to within a very narrow band width ca ± 20 years, at time periods when single sample analysis would give ambiguous calendrical conversion. Samples of known deposition rate covering a time span of >50 years are subdivided to produce a ‘floating curve’ and this curve is then ‘wiggle matched’ with the high-precision calibration to give a precise calendrical age.