Dating Pleistocene Archeological Sites by Protein Diagenesis in Ostrich Eggshell
Dating Pleistocene Archeological Sites by Protein Diagenesis in Ostrich Eggshell
复制标题
通过鸵鸟蛋壳中的蛋白质成岩作用测定更新世考古遗址
作者：
Alison S. Brooks;P. E. Hare;J. E. Kokis;Gifford H. Miller;R. Ernst;Fred Wendorf
非洲鸵鸟(Struthio Camelus)的蛋壳在非洲考古遗址中随处可见，实验室模拟实验表明，在成岩作用期间保留其本土有机基质残留物的效果远远好于迄今研究的任何其他钙化组织。L异亮氨酸异亮氨酸异构化为D异亮氨酸的速率遵循可逆的一级动力学，并经局部温度效应校正，用于估算层状考古遗址的年龄范围。年代估计与几个分层考古遗址的放射性碳测年一致。如果有足够的定标，这项技术可以提供热带地区最近20万年内沉积的地层和中国等寒冷地区最近100万年内沉积的地层的准确年龄，精度在10%到15%之间。
Eggshells of the African ostrich (Struthio camelus), ubiquitous in archeological sites in Africa, have been shown by laboratory simulation experiments to retain their indigenous organic matrix residues during diagenesis far better than any other calcified tissue yet studied. The rate of L-isoleucine epimerization to D-alloisoleucine follows reversible first-order kinetics and has been calibrated for local temperature effects and used to estimate the age range of stratified archeological sites. Age estimates are consistent with radiocarbon dates from several stratified archeological sites. With adequate calibration, this technique can provide accurate ages to within 10 to 15 percent for strata deposited within the last 200,000 years in the tropics and the last 1,000,000 years in colder regions such as China.