From dates to demography in later prehistoric Ireland? Experimental approaches to the meta-analysis of large 14C data-sets

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2012.08.039
• Publication Date: 2012-09-07T12:31:02Z
• Authors: Ian Armit; Graeme T. Swindles; Katharina Becker
• Keywords: Summed probability functions; 930; 0601 history and archaeology; AMS; REF 2014; 06 humanities and the arts; Ireland; Radiocarbon; Demography

Abstract We present a series of iterative methods to examine the problems associated with summed probability functions (SPFs) based on archaeological radiocarbon data. As a case study we use an SPF generated from a substantial radiocarbon data-set from the Irish Later Bronze and Iron Ages. We use simple numerical methods to show that real patterns can be deciphered from SPFs that can be used to trace and evaluate patterns of change. However, our results suggest that SPFs should not be used as a simple index of past human activity.