Archaeomagnetic results on three Early Iron Age salt-kilns from Moyenvic (France)

International audienceVariations of the Earthfs magnetic field during the first millennium BC in western Europe remain poorly constrained, especially archaeointensity changes. Three salt-kilns (MOA, MOB and MOC) sampled in Moyenvic (Lorraine, eastern France) have been studied to provide new reference data. Each kiln has been dated by radiocarbon to originate from the Early Iron Age or Hallstatt period (between VIII and Vth Century BC). Rock magnetic experiments and hysteresis results suggest the predominance of pseudo-single domain (PSD) Ti-poor magnetite. Archaeomagnetic directions obtained by thermal and alternating field demagnetizations have high mean inclination (close to 70.) and declination (between 19 and 31.). A first set of classical Thellier.Thellier experiments was conducted on 46 samples with a laboratory field almost parallel to the direction of the characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM). Only 24 of these specimens present a linear NRM.TRM plot. For other specimens, NRM.TRM plots are concave-up with positive pTRM checks. The very large dispersion observed between the determined palaeointensity values suggests some artefacts have not been fully recognized. A second set of Thellier experiments was conducted on 34 sister specimens with the laboratory field applied quasi-perpendicular to the ChRM. In these cases,mineralogical evolutions during heating and chemical remanent magnetization acquisitions have been clearly recognized, despite positive pTRM checks. The concave-up shapes of NRM.TRM plots appear mainly due to mineralogical alteration rather than to the presence of PSD.MD grains. For the entire set of samples the success rate of the palaeointensity determinations is very low with 80 per cent of the samples rejected. Nevertheless, reliable mean archaeointensities have been obtained for two of the three kilns (MOA, 80.1 } 14.5 ƒÊT and MOB, 86.6 } 6.9 ƒÊT at the latitude of Paris). The high field strength and the archaeomagnetic directions determined, combined with previous published data, provide further evidence for important changes of the Earth magnetic field in Europe during the first half of the first millennium BC. These large variations of the geomagnetic field during the Iron Ages indicate that archaeomagnetism is highly suitable for dating of structures from this period

Datation par archéomagnétisme des terres cuites archéologiques en France au premier millénaire av. J.-C. (étalonnage des variations du champ géomagnétique en direction et intensité)

L objectif de ce travail est l amélioration des courbes de variation séculaire de la direction (inclinaison I et déclinaison D) et de l intensité (F) du champ magnétique terrestre en Europe occidentale durant le premier millénaire av. J.-C. 47 fours, foyers et lots de tessons céramiques ont été étudiés pour constituer de nouvelles structures de référence. La datation du moment d acquisition de l aimantation a été définie en analysant l ensemble des informations archéologiques et chronométriques disponibles sur les sites. 39 nouvelles archéodirections ont été obtenues après désaimantations thermique et par champ alternatif. Les 18 archéointensités ont été déterminées par le protocole de Thellier-Thellier et généralement corrigées des effets de l anisotropie et de la vitesse de refroidissement. Les courbes de variation séculaire françaises, construites par moyenne mobile et par la statistique hiérarchique bayésienne, ont été étendues jusqu en 1500 av. J.-C. pour la direction et jusqu en 800 av. J.-C. pour l intensité. L inclinaison a une variation non monotone entre 65 et 75 entre 1500 et 0 av. J.-C. Les variations de la déclinaison et de l intensité sont très fortes avec un maximum en 800 av. J.-C. (30 pour D et 90 T pour F) et un minimum (-5 pour D et 60 T pour F) en 250 av. J.-C. L interprétation géomagnétique de la variation séculaire est difficile en raison des lacunes des jeux de données de référence hors Europe. Ces nouvelles courbes plus fiables améliorent la datation archéomagnétique au premier millénaire av. J.-C. et étendent son application à l âge du Bronze final. Du fait de la forte variation séculaire, le premier âge du Fer est la période la plus propice.This study aims to improve the Western Europe secular variation curve of the direction (inclination I and declination D) and the intensity (F) of the Earth s magnetic field during the first millennium BC. New archaeomagnetic reference data were obtained from 47 kilns, hearths and sets of pottery sherds with precise magnetization acquisition ages determined through a comprehensive review of available archaeological and chronometric informations. 39 new archaeodirections were computed after thermal and alternating field demagnetizations and 18 new archaeointensities were determined by the Thellier-Thellier protocol with anisotropy and cooling rate corrections. The new French secular variation curves, built using hierarchical bayesian statistics, were extended to 1500BC for the direction and to 800BC for the intensity. Inclination vary non-monotonously (between 65 and 75) between 1500BC and 0AD. Variations in declination and intensity are very strong with a maximum at 800BC (30 for D and 90 T for F) and a minimum at 250BC (-5 for D and 60 T for F). Interpreting the geomagnetic significance of this strong variation is hindered by the scarcity of data outside Europe. However it provides a useful marker for reliable archaeomagnetic dating in Western Europe during the Iron Age, especially during the Early Iron Age thanks to the strong secular variation. The new directional curve also allows the extension of archaeomagnetic dating to the Final Bronze Age.BORDEAUX3-Bib. électronique (335229906) / SudocSudocFranceF

Aire-sur-l'Adour – Crypte de l'église Sainte-Quitterie

Identifiant de l'opération archéologique : 025346 Date de l'opération : 2008 (EX) L’étude de la chronologie par luminescence des matériaux de construction de la crypte de l’église Sainte-Quitterie d’Aire-sur-l’Adour s’avère à l’heure actuelle une question cruciale et largement débattue puisque ce site fait partie de ceux retenus à la fois dans le cadre du groupe de recherche européen « terres cuites architecturales et nouvelles méthodes de datation » (resp. C. Sapin, P. Guibert, CNRS), et du ..

Records of geomagnetic reversals from volcanic islands of French Polynesia 2. Paleomagnetic study of a flow sequence (1.2-0.6 Ma) from the island of Tahiti and discussion of reversal models

A volcanic sequence almost 700 meters thick has been sampled in the Punaruu valley on the island of Tahiti, southern central Pacific Ocean. Detailed paleomagnetic results have been obtained from 123 sites. Three reversals are recorded in this sequence. Age determinations (K-Ar) indicate that the youngest reversal corresponds to the Matuyama-Brunhes transition while the two other transitions limit the Jaramillo normal polarity subchron. An apparent R-T-R excursion has been identified lower in the volcanic sequence and K-Ar age determinations around 1.1 Ma suggest that it corresponds to the Cobb Mountain subchron, but no normal paleomagnetic directions were discovered. The Matuyama-Brunhes and the lower JaramiIlo transition are defined by only a few intermediate directions while many intermediate directions are observed for the upper Jaramillo transition and the Cobb Mountain excursion. We attribute these differences to variations in the rate of eruption of the volcanic rocks. The lower Jaramillo record is characterized by a steepening of the inclination at the beginning of the reversal suggesting a possible axisymmetric control of the field at this stage. However, the transition path for the most detailed record (upper Jaramillo) is characterized by large loops; this prevents simple modeling of the transition by low order zonal harmonics at all stages of a reversal. Paleointensity determinations were attempted on 48 samples with reliable results obtained for 26 of them. Paleointensities for the transitional field range from 3 to 8 μT. Such very low field strengths were first suggested by the low intensity of the natural remanent magnetization associated with intermediate directions. An analysis of the variation of the intensity of magnetization with the angular departure from the central axial field, including all other available data from Polynesia, indicates that (1) a paleomagnetic direction should be considered as intermediate when it is more than 30° from the expected axial dipole direction, and (2) the average transitional geomagnetic field intensity is about 1/5 of its value during stable polarity states. Comparison of these results observed in Polynesia with previous studies from Iceland suggests an increase of the average intensity of the intermediate field with latitude.Copyrighted by American Geophysical Union.Keywords: Geomagnetic reversals, Paleomagnetic studies, Tahit

Les terres cuites architecturales comme sources d'information chronologique et technique des édifices avant l'an mil

A partir de l'étude d'un édifice phare de l'Ouest de la France (Église Notre-Dame sous Terre au Mont-Saint-Michel) mous montrons comment le couplage des études de bâti permettant l'identification d'ensembles maçonnés et leur chronologie relative, avec les méthodes de datation des terres cuites par thermoluminescence et archéomagnétisme, et des charbons de mortier par radiocarbone, aboutit à des informations particulièrement novatrices sur la chronologie de la production des briques, leur éventuel remploi ou sur leur production ad nove, mais aussi, plus inattendu, sur des éléments technologiques de leur production. Les orientations actuelles des recherches méthodologiques pour la datation physique des structures bâties sont également mises en perspectiv

New archaeomagnetic data recovered from the study of Roman and Visigothic remains from central Spain (3rd–7th centuries)

New archaeomagnetic results from four heated/combustion structures recovered from two archaeological sites in central Spain are reported. They have been dated by archaeological evidence and in two cases by radiocarbon dating. Rock magnetic experiments indicate low coercivity magnetic phases, such as magnetite and thermally stable maghaemite, as the main carriers of the remanent magnetization. Haematite has been observed in poorly heated baked clays. Archaeomagnetic directions have been obtained from either alternating field or thermal demagnetization experiments performed on 57 specimens coming from 46 independently oriented samples. The four well-defined archaeomagnetic directions obtained are in good agreement with previous archaeomagnetic data and with recent regional and global field models. They define the beginning of easterly declination drift that was initiated around 350–400 AD and culminated around 800–850 AD, and delineate the maximum in inclination that took place around 600–650 AD. In addition, classical Thellier–Thellier experiments including thermal remanent magnetization anisotropy and cooling rate corrections were conducted on 23 specimens. Only 13 specimens, corresponding to well-defined single component behaviour, gave reliable results. New mean archaeointensities have been obtained for two of the four studied structures (VBK1, 64.2 ± 5.0 μT and VBT1, 62.4 ± 2.6 μT). The new data suggest that two relative intensity maxima occurred in Western Europe around 320 and 630 AD, being of lower magnitude that observed in Eastern Europe.Peer reviewe

The First Catalog of Archaeomagnetic Directions From Israel With 4,000 Years of Geomagnetic Secular Variations

The large and well-studied archaeological record of Israel offers a unique opportunity for collecting high resolution archaeomagnetic data from the past several millennia. Here, we initiate the first catalog of archaeomagnetic directions from Israel, with data covering the past four millennia. The catalog consists of 76 directions, of which 47 fulfill quality selection criteria with Fisher precision parameter (k) ≥ 60, 95% cone of confidence (α95) < 6° and number of specimens per site (n) ≥ 8. The new catalog complements our published paleointensity data from the Levant and enables testing the hypothesis of a regional geomagnetic anomaly in the Levant during the Iron Age proposed by Shaar et al. (2016, 2017). Most of the archaeomagnetic directions show < 15° angular deviations from an axial dipole field. However, we observe in the tenth and ninth century BCE short intervals with field directions that are 19°-22° different from an axial dipole field and inclinations that are 20°-22° steeper than an axial dipole field. The beginning of the first millennium BCE is also characterized with fast secular variation rates. The new catalog provides additional support to the Levantine Iron Age Anomaly hypothesis

Archaeomagnetic and rock magnetic study of six kilns from North Africa (Tunisia and Morocco)

International audienceNew full-vector archaeomagnetic data for North Africa recovered from the study of six kilns, five from Tunisia and one from Morocco, are presented. Archaeological and historical considerations, along with three radiocarbon dates, indicate that the age of the kilns ranges between the 9th and 15th centuries AD. Rock magnetic analyses showed that the principal magnetic carriers are magnetite and low Ti titanomagnetite, along with variable contributions of thermally stable maghemite and a high coercivity phase with low unblocking temperatures. The magnetic mineralogy of the studied material is thermally stable and behaves ideally during archaeointensity experiments. Stepwise alternating field demagnetization isolated a single, stable, characteristic remanence component with very well defined directions at both specimen and structure levels. Mean archaeointensities have been obtained from successful classical Thellier experiments conducted on between five and eight independent samples per kiln. Thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) anisotropy and cooling rate effects upon TRM intensity have been investigated. The results showed that these effects are low for four of the six studied kilns, with differences between the uncorrected and corrected means of less than 3 per cent. For the other two structures differences between the uncorrected and corrected mean site intensities are 4.4 per cent and 5.8 per cent. These results highlight the necessity for TRM anisotropy and cooling rate corrections in archaeomagnetic studies if accurate archaeointensities are to be obtained. The new results suggest that high intensities occurred in Northwest Africa during the 9th century. Although more data are clearly needed to define this period of high intensity, the results are in agreement with the available European archaeointensity data. Acomparison between the newdata, other available archaeomagnetic determinations in nearby locations, and palaeosecular variation (PSV) curves derived from the regional SCHA.DIF.3k and global ARCH3K.1 geomagnetic field models shows good agreement between the new data and directional results derived from the models. However, some differences are observed between geomagnetic field models intensity results and available archaeointensity data for the studied regions. This highlights the need for new data for unexplored regions such as North Africa. The new data presented here better constrains the evolution of the geomagnetic field during historical times in this region. They represent a new step towards the construction of a reference PSV curve for Northwest Africa. Once established, this curve will represent a new dating method for this region

Intensite du champ magnetique terrestre en periodes stables et de transition, enregistree par des sequences de coulees volcaniques quaternaires

SIGLECNRS T Bordereau / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

Intensité du champ magnétique terrestre en périodes stables et de transition, enregistrée par des séquences de coulées volcaniques du quaternaire

Mémoires et Documents du centre Armoricain d'Etude Structurale des Socles n°23, 217 p., ISBN : 2-905532-22-XL'objectif de ce travail est l'étude du comportement du champ géomagnétique, en direction et en intensité, aux cours de périodes stables et de transition (excursions et inversions). Dans ce but, plusieurs études paléomagnétiques et de nombreuses déterminations de paléointensité par la méthode de Thellier ont été effectuées sur des coulés provenant de différentes provinces volcaniques. Des paléointensités comprises entre 21 et 54 Il T ont été obtenues sur des coulées de l'île de la Réunion, pour les périodes 5-11 Ka (mille ans) et 82-98 Ka. Ces données ainsi que la variation séculaire observée sur les directions, concordent avec des intensités du champ dipolaire et nondipolaire comparables avec les valeurs actuelles. Au contraire, de nouvelles données de paléointensité obtenues sur des laves volcaniques de directions intermédiaires, d'Islande et de la Chaîne des Puys, datées entre 40 et 50 Ka., confirment la baisse importante du champ durant l'excursion du Laschamp. Une étude des inversions les plus récentes a été effectuée sur une séquence datée de 123 coulées de l'île de Tahiti (Polynésie française). Des enregistrements détaillés du champ de transition ont été obtenus pour le Jaramillo supérieur et le Cobb Mountain, alors que les transitions du Jaramillo inférieur et du Matuyama-Brunhes n'ont été enregistrées que par quelques coulées. Le Cobb Mountain apparait, dans cet enregistrement, comme une excursion inverse-transitionel-inverse. Les données acquises à Tahiti, combinées à d'autres déjà obtenues en Polynésie suggèrent une domination des termes zonaux au début des renversements. L'intensité du champ de transition, à cette latitude, parait très faible, comme l'indiquent les paléointensités obtenues (3 à 8 Il T). Cette observation combinée à une analyse de l'intensité d'aimantation des coulées, pourrait indiquer une variation de l'intensité moyenne du champ de transition avec la latitude.No abstrac