engleski

Radiocarbon dating as a tool of cultural heritage protection

Radiocarbon dating (14C dating) method is based on measurement of radioactive isotope 14C in different organic materials such as wood, charcoal, bone, textile, paper. The range of 14C age determination is from 19th century up to ~60, 000 years in the past. The method is applicable for determination of absolute age (dating) of cultural heritage objects in archaeology, paleontology, art history. Due to very low natural 14C concentration the radiocarbon dating method requires special techniques for chemical preparation of samples and measurement of 14C. The method is very sensitive to any kind of pollution and particular care has to be taken for sample collection as well as during sample pretreatment and chemical preparation. Laboratory for Low-level Radioactivity at the Ruđer Bošković Institute is the only radiocarbon laboratory in Croatia and in wider area, and has more than forty-year long experience in radiocarbon dating. During this period the specific techniques for chemical preparation of samples and 14C activity measurement have been developed and used. Today two different methods for 14C dating are used: 1) sample preparation in form of benzene and measurement of 14C activity by liquid scintillation counter (LSC) (Horvatinčić et al., 2004), and 2) sample preparation in form of elemental carbon (graphite) and measurement of 14C atoms by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) (Krajcar Bronić et al., 2010). The main advantage of the AMS 14C method is the possibility of measurement of very small amount of samples, e.g. micro-sized samples containing a few milligrams of carbon, or less. For LSC method we need 10 to 300 g of sample depending on the sample type. Examples of 14C dating of some most important objects of cultural heritage in Croatia and the neighboring countries performed in the Laboratory are: Vela Špilja on Korčula Island and Lepenski Vir (Mesolithic), Sopot – Vinkovci and Slavonski Brod – Galovo (Neolithic), Vučedol – Vukovar, Vinkovci and Rudina near Koprivnica (Eneolithic), Caves Bezdanjača and Pupićina Peć and Igrišće – Kalnik (Bronze Age), Kaptol near Požega and Privlaka near Vinkovci (Iron Age), Andautonia near Zagreb, Siscia and Stobi (Roman and Byzantine times), as well as Nin, Dubrovnik and Zadar and Convent of St. Clara – Zagreb Town Museum (Middle Ages). Interesting examples are 14C dating of Etruscan Linen Book known as the Liber linteus Zagrabiensis which was used as a wrapping for the Egyptian Mummy from Archaeology museum in Zagreb and 14C dating of paper from Ahdnama document from the Franciscan Monastery in Fojnica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Few examples of radiocarbon dating will be presented in more details.

Radiocarbon dating; cultural heritage

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