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Anthropology/Radiocarbon dating of animal bones.

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Expert: - 11/22/2008


Question
How accurate is the radiocarbon dating of early animal bones?Is plus or minus 120 years accurate?Thanks!

Answer
Randy
I thought I answered this two days ago. Radiocarbon is the best method for those materials (bone).  It is not perfect, and there can be contamination issues. For a sample from the last 3000 years, a standard error of 120 years is perfectly normal.  This figure should increase with progressively older samples.
Cheers,
John shea

Anthropology

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John Shea

Expertise

Questions about Old World prehistoric archaeology (especially Stone Age) of Europe, Africa, and Western Asia, prehistoric human and hominid behavior, primitive technology, origin of modern humans, extinction of the Neandertals.

Experience

>20 years as a professional anthropologist based at a research university.

Publications
Journal of Field Archaeology, Journal of Archaeological Science, Lithic Technology, Evolutionary Anthropology, Current Anthropology, Mitekufat HaEven (Journal of the Israel Prehistoric Society), Paléorient, Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, American Anthropologist, Geoarchaeology.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D (Anthropology) Harvard University, 1991.
BA (Archaeology) Boston University, 1982.

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