Molecular Fingerprinting of14C Dated Soil Organic Matter Fractions from Archaeological Settings in NW Spain

• DOI: 10.1017/rdc.2018.62
• Publication Date: 2018-07-19T06:13:01Z
• Authors: Cruz Ferro-Vázquez; Joeri Kaal; Francisco Javier ...; Felipe Criado Boado
• Keywords: Detritus; Fraction (chemistry); Carbon fibers

Abstract This paper evaluates the complexities of radiocarbon ( 14 C) dates from soil organic matter (SOM) in archaeological scenarios. The aqueous NaOH-insoluble residual SOM Neolithic to medieval sites NW Spain produced consistently older calibrated C ages than NaOH-extractable SOM. Using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis methylation (THM-GC-MS), we analyzed molecular composition these fractions, aiming understand differences gain insight on dynamics relation age fractionation. SOM, which accounts for roughly two-thirds total has a larger proportion microbial detritus might suggest that discrepancies between two fractions is due rejuvenation extractable fraction, leading results are younger activity be dated. However, evidence presented here unambiguously shows provides more accurate targeted activity, insoluble fraction contains inherited old carbon. After statistical data evaluation using Partial Least Squares-Regression (PLS-R), it concluded this mixture Black Carbon wild and/or domestic fires recalcitrant aliphatic