14

From the 17th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Jerusalem, Israel, June 18-23, 2000.The Bayesian approach to calibration of radiocarbon dates was used to wiggle-match the "floating" tree-ring chronology from a Pazyryk culture (Scythian-type complex from Sayan-Altai Mountain system, southern Siberia) burial ground in order to estimate the calendar age of its construction. Seventeen bidecadal tree-ring samples were 14C dated with high precision (+/20-30 yr). The results of wiggle-matching show that the Pazyryk-type burial mounds in the southern Altai Mountains were created in the first part of 3rd century BC.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202

Dendrochronology and Radiocarbon Dating Methods in Archaeological Studies of Scythian Sites

From the 17th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Jerusalem, Israel, June 18-23, 2000.We propose a new method of cross-dating the wood samples based on the classical methods of spectral estimation. This method uses the average cross-spectral density as a function of the relative position of the series. Because it is not sensitive to phase shifts in data it is appropriate for cross-dating samples originating from geographically distinct areas. The accuracy of cross dating depends on the integrity of the samples used, and in the case of well-preserved wood samples, the precision of relative age comparison may reach a single year. The method was tested on two dendrochronological series from Scythian barrows of known age in Southern Siberia: the Pazyryk barrows (the Altai Mountains) and the Dogee-Baary -2 burials (Western Sayan Mountains) separated by 450 km. The analysis has shown that the Pazyryk barrow is younger by 80 +/4 yr than the Dogee-Baary -2 burials. This result is in agreement with the new chronology of Scythian-related sites suggested for Southern Siberia and Central Asia.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202