Chronology and Chemistry from 50,000 Years Ago: Transition in Israel's Kebara Cave
Elisabetta Boaretto
Friday, 31 Aug 2012 at 4:10 pm – 3 Physics Hall
Elisabetta Boaretto pioneered the integrative approach to radiocarbon dating in archaeology, and her work has resulted in a new approach to the selection of samples from archaeological excavations. She will discuss a recent excavation at Kebara Cave, Israel, and the structure and preservation of the charred materials. The excavation followed a recent study documenting the earliest appearance of Modern Homo sapiens in the Levant 46,000 years ago. Elisabetta Boaretto has an appointment with the Radiocarbon Dating and Cosmogenic Isotopes Lab at the Bar Ilan University and with the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.Elisabetta Boaretto was awarded the IBA-Europhysics Prize for Applied Nuclear Science and Nuclear Methods and Nuclear Researches in Medicine in recognition of her significant contribution to the development of precise quality-controlled radiocarbon dating and the application of accelerator mass spectrometry techniques to the field of archaeology. She has developed novel field-applicable, pre-screening techniques that can be applied to excavations that focus on well-defined archaeological context and sample material.
She has also introduced the use of infrared and Raman spectroscopy for sample characterization and quality control. These methods not only increase the analytical precision and accuracy of the radiocarbon date but also relate this information to the context. These methods are now being used by many laboratories throughout the world.
Boaretto has conducted research on understanding the structure and preservation of charred materials that are extensively used for dating. She has applied her expertise to a high-resolution sub-century dating study of the Iron Age (ca. 1200-600 BC) in Israel, which has had an impact on the biblical chronology.
She led the dating of a cave site in Yuchanianin Hunan (China). The study involved analyzing the cave stratigraphy, prescreening bones and charcoal, and finally the results showed that the ceramics were produced around 18,000 years ago; the oldest in the world to date.
Cosponsored By:
- Geological & Atmospheric Sciences
- Physics and Astronomy
- Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)
Stay for the entire event, including the brief question-and-answer session that follows the formal presentation. Most events run 75 minutes.
Sign-ins are after the event concludes. For lectures in the Memorial Union, go to the information desk in the Main Lounge. In other academic buildings, look for signage outside the auditorium.
Lecture Etiquette
- Stay for the entire lecture and the brief audience Q&A. If a student needs to leave early, he or she should sit near the back and exit discreetly.
- Do not bring food or uncovered drinks into the lecture.
- Check with Lectures staff before taking photographs or recording any portion of the event. There are often restrictions. Cell phones, tablets and laptops may be used to take notes or for class assignments.
- Keep questions or comments brief and concise to allow as many as possible.