Radiometric dating of the Middle Palaeolithic tool industry and associated fauna of Pin Hole Cave,Creswell Crags,England

Uranium-series dating of derived speleothem suggests that the sediments enclosing a Middle Palaeolithic stone artefact assemblage in Pin Hole Cave probably accumulated after about 64 ka, and ¹⁴C dates indicate a likely age of > 40 ka for the large mammal fauna associated with it. Electron spin resonance data from the fauna conform with these age constraints and are consistent with accumulation between 38 and 50 ka. This evidence supports the view that Britain was recolonised by hominids during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3. Stratigraphically higher stone tool industries demonstrate the local presence of both early Upper and late Upper Palaeolithic cultures. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

U‐series dating of the Late Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Wood Quarry (Steetley), Nottinghamshire,UK

We present the U‐series dating of bones from Wood Quarry (‘Steetley Quarry Cave’) using the diffusion–adsorption model to account for uranium uptake. The results give a weighted mean date of 66.8 ± 3.0 kyr, placing this assemblage within or just before Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 4. The fauna is thought to correlate with the Banwell Bone Cave mammal assemblage‐zone of the Early Devensian in Britain. Our results support the idea that this assemblage‐zone immediately precedes the assemblage represented nearby at Pin Hole in Creswell Crags which is contemporary with the Mid‐Devensian and correlates with MIS 3. Our dates, and dates for the Banwell Bone Cave mammal assemblage‐zone from Stump Cross Cavern and evidence from other sites may indicate a longevity for this fauna. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of ESR and TIMS U/Th dating of marine isotope stage (MIS) 5e, 5c, and 5a coral from Barbados—implications for palaeo sea-level changes in the Caribbean

Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of coral has become an efficient geochronological tool in supporting morphostratigraphic studies carried out on Barbados during the last 10 years. The newly developed approach for D_E determination (D_E–D_max plot procedure) improves the precision of ESR dating of Pleistocene coral, and therefore permits differentiation between the main marine isotope stages (MIS) 5, 7, 9 and 11 and also between sub-stages 5e, c and a. This study compares results of ESR and TIMS Uranium series dating (U/Th) of emergent Last Interglacial coral reef terraces from Barbados, and presents some implications for the timing and extent of sea-level changes during marine isotope stages (MIS) 5e, c and a. Both dating methods indicate a distinct formation of up to three coral reef terraces during MIS 5e, at approximately 132 ka (ESR) to 128 ka (U/Th), at c. 128 ka (ESR) and at c. 120 ka (U/Th) to 118 ka (ESR). It is also highly probable that three reef terraces were developed during MIS 5c between c. 103 ka (U/Th) and 105 ka (ESR). The formation of two separate coral reefs during MIS 5a is recognized for the first time on Barbados, with an age estimate for the older MIS 5a-2 reef of 85 ka (ESR) or 84 ka (U/Th), and an age estimate for the younger MIS 5a-1 reef terraces of 74 ka (ESR) or 77 ka (U/Th). Assuming a constant uplift rate of 0.276 m/ka at the south coast of Barbados, sea-level reached its maximum during MIS 5e-3 and MIS 5e-2 between 132 and 128 ka ago. After this, sea-level declined reaching a level of c. −11 m below present sea level approx. 118–120 ka ago (MIS 5e-1). During the substage 5c sea-level was generally lower than in substage 5e. It reached relative maxima at c. −13, −20 and −25 m during MIS 5c (approx. 105 ka) and formed three distinct coral reef terraces probably in relative short time intervals. For the first time, a double sea-level oscillation is recognized on Barbados during MIS 5a: an early MIS 5a-2 (c. 85 ka) with a sea-level places at approx. −21 m, and a late MIS 5a-1 sub-stage (c. 74 or 77 ka) with a sea-level at approx. –19 m below present sea level.     

The challenge of dating early pleistocene fossil teeth by the combined uranium series–electron spin resonance method: the Venta Micena palaeontological site (Orce,Spain)

The palaeontological site of Venta Micena (Orce, Andalusia, Spain) lies in the eastern sector of the Guadix–Baza basin, one of the best documented areas in Europe for Plio‐Pleistocene biostratigraphy. The combination of biochronological and palaeomagnetic results, combined with the radiometric data obtained for Atapuerca Sima del Elefante, indicated that the Venta Micena stratum was formed between the Jaramillo and Olduvai palaeomagnetic events, most likely between 1.22 and 1.77 Ma. Five fossil teeth from two outcrops (sites A and B) were selected to assess the potential of combined uranium series–electron spin resonance (US‐ESR) dating of Early Pleistocene sites. Although the US‐ESR results of the first outcrop showed a large scatter between the three teeth, the mean age of 1.37 ± 0.24 Ma can be considered a reasonable age estimate for Venta Micena. The mean ESR age of 0.62 ± 0.03 Ma obtained for site B seems to be a severe underestimation when compared with the independent age control. This underestimation is attributed to a relative recent U‐mobilization event that led to some U‐leaching. The results show that any ESR age calculations of old samples are extremely sensitive to variations in the measured ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U ratios in dental tissues. Although the results demonstrate that ESR can in principle be applied to Early Pleistocene sites, they also reveal the complexity of dating such old teeth. It is necessary to continue research in several directions, such as study of the behaviour of ESR signals in old teeth and understanding recent U‐mobilization processes, to improve the reliability of the combined US‐ESR dating method applied to Early Pleistocene times, a period for which the number of available numerical dating techniques is very limited. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electron spin resonance (ESR) and thermal ionization mass spectrometric (TIMS) 230Th/234U dating of teeth in Middle Paleolithic layers at Amud Cave,Israel

Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating and thermal ionization mass spectrometric ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U dating was conducted on six teeth from the prehistoric site of Amud Cave. By combining the ESR and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U analyses, we obtained burial ages for teeth in various layers of the site. Layer B₁/6–7, from which the Amud I Neanderthal skeleton was recovered, is dated to 53 ± 8 ka. Layer B₂/8, which yielded other important human remains including the Amud 7 skeleton, gives a mean burial age of 61 ± 9 ka. One tooth from the lowest layer (B₄) yielded a date of 70 ± 11 ka, but another tooth from this layer gave an 113 ± 18 ka. Despite this discrepancy, these ages agree with previously published TL ages on heated flints for the corresponding layers. This agreement between ESR on tooth enamel and TL on burned flint is also seen at all other sites studied with both methods in Israel. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Mammal remains at Rantis Cave,Israel, and Middle–Late Pleistocene human subsistence and ecology in the Southern Levant

Rantis Cave is a recently discovered filled cave in central Israel, displaying a rich faunal accumulation of micromammals, ungulates and carnivores. U–Th dating assigns the beginning of accumulation to ca. 140 ka. The accumulation is culturally assigned to the late half of the Middle Paleolithic (MP) period. Single‐grain optically stimulated luminescence measurements attest to a complex sedimentological history. We present the cross‐disciplinary results of taphonomic and geomorphological analyses, which point to the cave serving as a natural pitfall trap for the large fauna, with little human or carnivore activity. The fauna is dominated by Dama among the ungulates and by Microtus among the micromammals. These data in conjunction with ungulate tooth mesowear analysis suggest a xeric Mediterranean environment on the eastern margin of the southern Levantine foothills. The relative taxonomic abundance of ungulate taxa shows some differences from anthropogenic MP sites, possibly reflecting the prey choice patterns of MP hunters. Overall, the natural accumulation scenario for Rantis Cave provides a rare paleoenvironmental and paleoeconomic reference to the rich anthropogenic MP faunas of the Southern Levant, enabling the reconstruction of a rich and diverse environmental setting for this important human dispersal route. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variation and pattern in the responses of mammal faunas to Late Pleistocene climatic change in southeastern South Australia

We examined mammal occurrence and variability through the Late Pleistocene vertebrate fossil deposit of Grant Hall in Victoria Fossil Cave, Naracoorte, South Australia. To determine long‐term patterns of change, we compared the composition and relative abundance trends of the assemblage with a nearby Middle Pleistocene deposit in Cathedral Cave. Total species richness did not change through the Grant Hall sequence, dated from 93 ± 8 to 70 ± 5 ka. However, species relative abundances varied between ecologically divergent species, and in some cases between species that demonstrate similar environmental preferences. For some species this variation is comparable to that recorded in Cathedral Cave. Of those showing similar trends between the two deposits, the forest inhabitant, Pseudomys fumeus, recorded an 8.6% decline through Grant Hall, coincident with a 9.7% increase in the dry heath/mallee dweller Pseudomys apodemoides. These patterns indicate that climatic transition from relatively warm, moist to cooler, drier conditions impacted some species in similar ways through climatic cycles of the past. However, the majority of the fauna demonstrated complex responses that are individual and variable through time. Statistical tests of species trends from the Grant Hall assemblage caution that large fossil samples are required to validate patterns observed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cave bear occupation in Schwabenreith Cave,Austria, during the early last glacial: constraints from 230Th/U‐dated speleothems

The cave bear was a prominent member of the Upper Pleistocene fauna in Eurasia. While breakthroughs were recently achieved with respect to its phylogeny using ancient DNA techniques, it is still challenging to date cave bear fossils beyond the radiocarbon age range. Without an accurate and precise chronological framework, however, key questions regarding the palaeoecology cannot be addressed, such as the extent to which large climate swings during the last glacial affected the habitat and possibly even conditioned the final extinction of this mammal. Key to constraining the age of cave bear fossils older than the lower limit of radiocarbon dating is to date interlayered speleothems using ²³⁰Th/U. Here we report new results from one such site in the Eastern European Alps (Schwabenreith Cave), which yielded the highest density of bones of cave bear (Ursus spelaeus eremus). Although dating of the flowstones overlying this fossiliferous succession was partly compromised by diagenetic alteration, the ²³⁰Th/U dates indicate that the bear hibernated in this cave after about 113 ka and before about 109 ka. This time interval coincides with the equivalent of Greenland Stadial 25, suggesting possible climate control on the cave bear's habitat and behaviour. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Quaternary Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Application of sedimentary and chronological analyses to refine the depositional context of a Late Pleistocene vertebrate deposit,Naracoorte, South Australia

Cave deposits of infill sediments and associated vertebrate fossils provide a valuable source of information on terrestrial palaeoenvironments, climatic conditions and palaeocommunities. In the deposits of the Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Area, such records span the last 500 ka and are renowned for their rich, diverse vertebrate assemblages. Previous research into the Grant Hall deposit of Victoria Fossil Cave suggested that it may preserve the only peak last interglacial (ca. 125 ka) faunal community within the World Heritage Area. The current work tested this existing model for the age of faunal remains from Grant Hall using multiple techniques. Physical and geochemical properties of the visually homogeneous sediments were analysed at regular intervals through the sequence to establish meaningful stratigraphic divisions and sediment provenance. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of individual quartz grains indicates that sediments accumulated in Grant Hall from 93 ± 8 to 70 ± 5 ka. Minimum ages provided by U/Th dating of fossil teeth (72.3 ± 2.2 to 38.2 ± 0.8 ka) are consistent with the luminescence chronology, and show that the deposit represents a more recent faunal accumulation than previously modelled for the site. U/Th ages on calcite straws within the deposit are significantly older than the sediments and fossil teeth (>500 to 186.4 ± 1 ka). As such they provide no further constraint on the chronology of the deposit but do indicate that speleothem deposition was active over much of the Middle Pleistocene. Sedimentary analyses resulted in the identification of five depositional units, contrasting with previous divisions which were based only on visual observation of the sedimentary sequence. Sediments within each unit are broadly classified as sandy silts with soil structures and may be indirectly derived from the lunettes of nearby Bool Lagoon, although their ultimate provenance is unknown. As a result of this work, palaeoenvironmental reconstruction based on fossil remains in the deposit may be more accurately related to prevailing climatic and environmental conditions at the time of accumulation. It also contributes to an understanding of the temporal occurrence of regional vertebrate faunas through the Late Pleistocene, reinforcing the value of developing stratigraphically constrained chronologies for cave deposits based on multiple techniques.     

第四纪骨化石样品的多方法对比测年

本文报道作者用¹⁴C、铀系和ESR等多种测年技术对比测定第四纪骨化石样品年龄结果,对比分析骨化石中各含碳组分¹⁴C年龄的异同。在此基础上讨论诸测年方法的可靠性和测年精度,分析哪种含碳组分最能代表骨质样品的真实年龄。对晚于40 000aB.P.的骨质样品,作者倾向于样品中氨基酸的¹⁴C测年,而对更老的样品,铀系法应优先被选用。本文还对北京周口店山顶洞遗址骨化石样品中不同含碳组分的¹⁴C测年结果做了讨论。     

Further evidence for a relatively high sea level during the penultimate interglacial: open-system U-series ages from La Marina (Alicante,East Spain)

The elevation and timing of high sea stands during Oxygen Isotope Stage (OIS) 7 are not as well constrained as those of OIS 5e. Conflicting values are reported from Mediterranean coastlines, and fossil dating is inaccurate because of ubiquitous open U-series systems. New morphostratigraphic data from La Marina (eastern Spain) supported by open-system U-series coral ages shed light on the maximum sea level during OIS 7. Fossil corals (Cladocora caespitosa) underlying an OIS 5e marine unit yielded U-series ages from 178 ± 10 to 208 ± 11 ka (±2s; n=7) with an outlier at 240 ± 18 ka. Mean open-system limit ages of 170 ± 10 (minimum age after correction for 234Th -230Th uptake) and 237 ± 20 ka (maximum age after correction for 238U - 234U uptake) were calculated to have a probable age closer to the minimum value, for an assignment of OIS 7a or 7c. The occurrence of a warm-water “Senegalese” fauna (Strombus bubonius) in OIS5e and OIS 7 marine units confirms the arrival of tropical species to the Mediterranean before the last interglacial period. Morpho-sedimentological and neotectonic studies suggest that the maximum paleo-sea level during OIS 7c or 7a was a few meters below that of OIS 5e.     

Geochronology of Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna and Gigantopithecus in Guangxi Province, southern China

Pleistocene faunas from south China are difficult to subdivide based on the long temporal ranges of many taxa and a reduced number of genera in comparison to faunas from temperate north China. In south China, the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna is a very general one and includes a relatively stable suite of genera that apparently persisted for long periods of time. These attributes have made constraining its time range difficult. Application of electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of tooth enamel constrains the ages well where uranium uptake was minor. Where uranium uptake into teeth was significant, an approach combining ESR and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U isotopic analysis also yields excellent ages. Previous estimates of early, middle and late Pleistocene time ranges previously determined by biostratigraphic seriation for the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna are confirmed in all cases but are made more precise with our approach, including specific time ranges for certain archaic taxa. Absolute dating also yields an extended time range for Gigantopithecus blacki of 1200 to 310 ka.     

文石-方解石石笋U/Th体系的封闭性判断及意义

湖南省龙山县莲花洞两根大型石笋LLl(文石-方解石型)和LL5(文石型)ICP-MS230Th结果表明,82个年龄数据并不完全符合石笋生长层序律.根据U/Th同位素比值、沉积和矿物学特征,分析了同位素体系开放度对建立石笋正确年代学模式的影响.莲花洞LLl石笋全新世以来234U/238U对230Th/238U的比值具有谐和性特征并且230Th年龄层序正常,说明文石矿物基本接近U/Th同位素封闭系统,实测年龄基本可靠.10～40 ka期间234U/238U与230Th/238U离散度较大和矿物具有溶蚀、风化现象,表明体系发生U加入/流失作用.LL5石笋60～80 ka期间封闭性较好,实测年龄可信.上述结果表明,同一洞穴中文石石笋U/Th同位素体系开放度与时间的关系并不是线性关系,沉积时水文和物理化学性质以及随后的保存状况是决定洞穴文石石笋同位素封闭性的关键因素.     

Huanglong Cave: A Late Pleistocene human fossil site in Hubei Province,China

This contribution discusses recent paleoanthropological findings from Huanglong Cave, a Late Pleistocene human fossil site from Yunxi County, Hubei Province, China. Three excavations in the Huanglong Cave from 2004 to 2006 yielded seven human teeth, some stone and bone tools, possible burnt sediment and other evidence possibly related to hominin activities. Based on the presence of extinct faunas (20% of total taxa identified), the deposits dated to the Late Pleistocene. Electron spin resonance (ESR) and uranium-series (U-series) dating analyses on associated teeth and speleothems have resulted in divergent chronometric ages (ESR: 44–34 ka; U-series: 103–79 ka). Analysis indicates: (1) most of the morphological and metric features of the human teeth from Huanglong Cave fall within the range of variation of modern Chinese, but a few characters may still link them to more archaic hominins; (2) some activity-induced abrasion and other tooth use-marks were identified, including pronounced tooth chipping and interproximal grooves on the anterior teeth; (3) the sample of blackened deposit has a high carbon content (over 70%), experienced high temperatures, and likely was of cultural origin and not natural; (4) the mammal fossils represent the “Ailuropoda-Stegodon” faunal unit which lived in southern China throughout the Pleistocene. Synthesizing all of these findings, especially the human teeth that display modern human characteristics, Huanglong Cave will offer some new insights into various issues currently being debated in Late Pleistocene human evolutionary research.     

New Quaternary Mammalian Faunas and Cave Deposits in the Zhoukoudian Area,Beijing

From 1985 to 1987, four new localities with abundant fossil mammals were dis-covered by Cao, Tian and others in the Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien) area, Beijing. They are theEast, West, Shangdian and Donglingzi caves. The East Cave fauna consists of 28 speices ofmammals and its age is middle Early Pleistocene. The East Cave assemblage shows that a tem-perature-falling event took place at around 1.20 Ma B.P. at Zhoukoudian. Sixteen species ofmammals were collected from the West Cave, which are mainly forms of late Early Pleistoceneage. The West Cave fauna represents a transitional fauna from the East Cave fauna (dry-cold)to the fauna (warm) at locality 9. The Shangdian Cave fauna is composed of four forms, beingMiddle Pleistocene in age. The Donglingzi Cave fauna contains 21 Late Pleistocene forms. Inthe cave two fossil horizons may be distinguished. The age of the lower horizon is early LatePleistocene, which is equivalent to that of the New Cave fauna; while the fauna of the upper ho-rizon may be correlated with the Upper Cave fauna.     

桂林地区水南洞14～25万年石笋的碳氧同位素记录和古气候重建

通过对桂林水南洞石笋进行高精度的热电离质谱(TIMS－U)测年和碳氧同位素分析,建立了桂林地区245.20 ka BP至147.90 ka BP间的古气候变化时间序列,确定了石笋记录的时段B与时段C分界的年龄为242.5±6.4 ka BP(相当于深海岩芯氧同位素标准曲线时段7与时段8分界的年龄)、时段A与时段B分界的年龄为 192.6±3.9 ka BP(相当于深海岩芯氧同位素标准曲线时段6与时段7分界的年龄)。桂林地区245.20～147.90 ka BP石笋记录的冷暖事件所反映出的古气候变化,大致可分为3个气候变化阶段:(1) 245.2～242.6 ka BP, 相当于深海岩芯氧同位素标准曲线阶段8的末期;(2) 242.5～192.6 ka BP,相当于深海岩芯氧同位素标准曲线时段7;(3)192.6～147.9 ka BP间的倒数第2次冰期, 相当于深海岩芯氧同位素标准曲线时段6的早中期。石笋的TIMS－U测年和碳氧同位素记录揭示,桂林地区245.2～147.9 ka BP的古气候演变历史与深海岩芯时段8末期、时段7和时段6的氧同位素,深海岩芯中记录的孢子花粉组合、CaCO3含量、海平面的升降变化以及与中国北方黄土、古土壤中记录的孢子花粉组合、成壤程度、全铁富集程度、磁化率变化、原生碎屑CaCO3含量和淋溶强度等所揭示的古气候和古季风变化具有极好的对应关系,表明桂林地区中更新世晚期以来的古气候演变既有全球性特征,又有着强烈的区域性特征。     

Dating late Quaternary events by the combined U‐Pb LA‐ICP‐MS and (U‐Th)/He dating of zircon: A case study on Omachi Tephra suite (central Japan)

Dating of young (<1 Ma) geological events has long been a challenge for geochronologists. Combining (U‐Th)/He with U‐Pb or U‐Th‐disequilibrium dating methods offers a unique dating tool that can address this important period. We present a new methodology that combines U‐Pb LA‐ICP‐MS and (U‐Th)/He dating of zircon and use it to date two Pleistocene marker tephras (A1Pm and DPm) from the Omachi Tephra suite (Japan). A1Pm and DPm yield U‐Pb ages in the range of 350–850 and ~140–630 ka, respectively, documenting protracted periods of zircon crystallisation (100's of k.y.) prior to eruption. (U‐Th)/He ages constrain the eruption ages of the A1Pm and DPm tephras to 375 ± 13 and 97.1 ± 7.3 ka, respectively, and are in agreement with published estimates. This study demonstrates the potential of combined zircon U‐Pb LA‐ICP‐MS and (U‐Th)/He dating to constrain magmatic and eruption events in the critical ~100 ka–1 Ma interval.     

Uranium Series Chronology of the Late Pleistocene Basalt from the Longgang Volcanoes, Jilin Province

1 IntroductionThe Longgang volcanic cluster located in the middle partof Longgang Mountain is one of the active volcanoes innortheast China, potentially hazardous of explosion in thefuture (Fan et al., 2002). Within an area of 1700 km2, thereare about 160 volcanic cones, craters and maars (Ou, 1984).Among these volcanoes, the Jinlongdingzi and Dayizishanvolcanoes which are well studied have experiencedrepetitious eruptions (Wang and Jin, 1999). Detailedresearch on their eruption cycles is …     

A multi‐dating approach applied to proglacial sediments attributed to the Most Extensive Glaciation of the Swiss Alps

Dehnert, A., Preusser, F., Kramers, J. D., Akçar, N., Kubik, P. W., Reber, R. & Schlüchter, C. 2010: A multi‐dating approach applied to proglacial sediments attributed to the Most Extensive Glaciation of the Swiss Alps. Boreas, Vol. 39, pp. 620–632. 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2010.00146.x. ISSN 0300‐9483. The number and the timing of Quaternary glaciations of the Alps are poorly constrained and, in particular, the age of the Most Extensive Glaciation (MEG) in Switzerland remains controversial. This ice advance has previously been tentatively correlated with the Riss Glaciation of the classical alpine stratigraphy and with Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 (186–127 ka). An alternative interpretation, based on pollen analysis and stratigraphic correlations, places the MEG further back in the Quaternary, with an age equivalent to MIS 12 (474–427 ka), or even older. To re‐evaluate this issue in the Swiss glaciation history, a multi‐dating approach was applied to proglacial deltaic ‘Höhenschotter’ deposits in locations outside the ice extent of the Last Glacial Maximum. Results of U/Th and luminescence dating suggest a correlation of the investigated deposits with MIS 6 and hence with the Riss Glaciation. Cosmogenic burial dating suffered from large measurement uncertainties and unusually high ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be ratios and did not provide robust age estimates.     

贵州荔波第四纪晚近期石笋地质年表与气候事件

南方岩溶区大型石笋年代地层学研究表明石笋是第四纪 (系 )研究的主要对象之一 ,石笋比其他第四纪沉积物更易高精度定年。贵州荔波地区以 6 8个TIMS U系正序平行测年 ,建立了第四纪晚近期 16 2 .3ka以来的地质年表 ,确定全新世与晚更新世以 9.36 3ka分界 ,而晚更新世与中更新世以12 8.5ka分界 ,提出距今 35 0年、2 30 0年……和新仙女木、类Heinrich等一系列冷事件的跃变年代 ,事件的冷暖转 (突 )变时限具区域对比意义。认定应以大型石笋系统测年建立第四纪地质年表 ,不宜用少数测年值按 2～ 3个沉积速率推算建年表 ,亦不宜以小型石笋“系统”测年建年表 ,以免因间断沉积造成自然的、人为的缺层和漏测 ,使年表失实。