11347
Author
Bischoff, James L.; Ikeya, Motoji; Budinger, Fred E., Jr.
Author Affiliation
United States. Geological Survey
Title Of Article Chaper
A TL/ESR study of the hearth feature at the Calico archaeological site, California
Title Of Journal Book
American antiquity: a quarterly review of American archaeology
Volume
49
Issue
4
Pages
764-774
Collation
5 figs., 3 tables
Reference Bibliography
refs.
ISSN
0002-7316
Language Of Text
English
Language Of Summary
English
Literature Type
Serial
Literature Level
Analytic
Abstract
TL/ESR measurements were made to test whether a semicircular arrangement of cobbles at the Calico site was a people-made hearth. Results of an earlier magnetic study of one of the cobbles suggested the inner portions had been heated to 360°C. Such a temperature would destroy radiation-induced defects on the inner portions of the cobbles, which can then be measured by TL/ESR. TL/ESR signals of the inner and outer portions of four cobbles were then measured and showed no significant differences. Moreover, all samples appeared to be at full TL and ESR saturation. Progressive heating of a control cobble taken from outside the hearth feature indicated that destruction of the TL/ESR signal occurs at 200°C. Estimates of the dose rate at the site indicates that at least 400,000 years are required for an annealed rock to attain full TL/ESR saturation, a much longer time than the estimated 200,000-year age of the deposit.
Keywords
hearths;Calico Site (California, USA);USA (California); thermoluminescence;electron spin resonance;archaeological sites; temperature; heat
pub_id
11347