Department of Archaeology University of Durham South Road Durham DH1 3LE tel: +44 (0)191 334 1123 / 1124 fax: +44 (0)191 3341101 email:Scott.Grainger@durham.ac.uk
Dating Service
Introduction
The Luminescence Dating Service was established in 1983 and has considerable experience in dating a wide range of archaeological materials from around the world. The Luminescence Laboratory has an international research profile; the scope of recent work includes the physics of luminescence, development of methodologies and application to archaeological and geological samples. This research informs the methods used in the Dating Service.
Luminescence dating may be the preferred technique in a variety of situations, for example:
The possibility of luminescence dating should be considered before or during an excavation, not afterwards. This gives us the opportunity to visit the site to advise on sample collection and to make on-site measurements. In dating heated artefacts, it is essential to take samples of the surrounding burial medium so as to achieve the best possible precision in the date.
Luminescence dating is applicable to samples of age in the range 50 - 500,000 years. The uncertainty is typically in the range of ± 5% to ± 12% of the sample age.
Where a proposed dating programme fits into our current research interests, the work may be undertaken free of charge. Recent research in the laboratory includes dating:
Materials which can be dated using luminescence include:
Prices
Work is divided into two main stages -
Material characterisation and determination of suitability for luminescence dating (Usually in the order of £100 per sample).
Production of a complete dating report (Usually an additional £400 per sample).
If site visits are required, additional charges may be made, depending upon the number of samples taken.
Suggestions for collaborative work are always welcome, and a reduction in costs may be available.
Please contact the laboratory for further advice.
Contact
Luminescence Dating Service Department of Archaeology Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE email: Scott.Grainger@durham.ac.uk tel: +44 (0) 191 334 1123 / 1124 fax: +44 (0) 191 334 1101
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