This post is sponsored by Beta Analytic.
ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic is a dedicated radiocarbon (Carbon-14) dating laboratory offering radiocarbon dating via Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). Radiocarbon dating has many archaeological applications. The carbon-14 content of most organic materials including bone, wood, sediment, carbonate, water, foraminifera, shell, and others can be measured. The analysis is used to determine the age of samples and chronologies with a limit of approximately 50,000 years. Dates reveal both the age of the sample tested and potential ages and chronologies of archaeological features and sites. Testing can also be used for quaternary and climate change studies because climate fluctuations affect the carbon cycle. Furthermore, lake and marine cores, sediments, macrofossils and foraminifera can be used to identify climate chronologies such as temperature changes and glacial events.
Stable isotope analysis is also available, including 13C and 15N as well as 13C and 18O. 13C and 18O stable isotope testing is applicable to carbonates and can be used to investigate paleoclimate and paleotemperature. 13C and 15N measurements can be taken from bones and teeth to understand ancient diets. These isotopes show where on the food chain food was sourced, providing information about what ancient peoples were eating and whether they consumed a more terrestrial or marine-based diet and whether they were more herbivorous or carnivorous.
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