Dating correlated microlayers in engraved, oxalate-rich accretions: new archives of paleoenvironments and human activity from Australian rock art shelters

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dc.contributor.authorGreen, Hen_AU
dc.contributor.authorFinch, Den_AU
dc.contributor.authorGleadow, AJMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHoy, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLevchenko, VAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMyers, Cen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHeaney, Pen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPickering, Ren_AU
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-20T01:00:01Zen_AU
dc.date.available2023-01-20T01:00:01Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2021-11-17en_AU
dc.date.statistics2022-06-10en_AU
dc.description.abstractDistinctive, dark coloured, glaze-like mineral accretions, often found in rock shelters around the world, offer important opportunities for radiocarbon dating of associated rock art. The mineralogy of these accretions is dominated by well-crystallised calcium oxalate and sulphate minerals, most commonly whewellite and gypsum, with significant occurrences of phosphates in some samples. The accretions are typically several millimetres thick and characterised by distinctive internal laminations that exhibit regular stacked undulations giving a stromatolitic appearance under the microscope. Together with other apparently microbial features observed under the SEM, these features provide strong support for a microbiological origin for these oxalate-rich accretions. Risks surrounding contamination and open system behaviour, previously limiting the application of radiocarbon dating to these accretions, are addressed by the well-crystallised nature of the oxalates and the preservation of fine laminar features within their internal stratigraphies. In a case study from the north Kimberley region of north-western Australia, we demonstrate the use of sample characterisation and chemical pre-treatment techniques to pre-screen for evidence of open system behaviour and address potential contamination. The results provide stratigraphically consistent sequences of radiocarbon dates in mm-scale laminated accretions, with correlations between distinctive patterns in the layer sequences visible in rock shelters up to 90 km apart. This demonstrates that pre-screened samples offer opportunities to reliably date rock art, particularly symbolic markings commonly engraved into these relatively soft deposits and suggests their synchronised formation is not entirely shelter specific but broadly controlled by variations in regional environmental conditions. Consequently, these accretions also offer potential as paleoenvironmental archives, with radiocarbon dating of layers in nine accretions indicating four, approximately synchronous growth intervals covering the last 43 ka.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationGreen, H., Finch, D., Gleadow, A., Hoy. J., Levchencko, V., Myers, C., Heaney, P., & Pickering, R. (2021). Dating correlated microlayers in engraved, oxalate-rich accretions: new archives of paleoenvironments and human activity from Australian rock art shelters. Paper presented to the 15th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. ANSTO Sydney, Australia. November 15th – 19th, 2021. (pp. 131). Retrieved from: https://ams15sydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/AMS-15-Full-Program-and-Abstract-Book-R-1.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate19 November 2021en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencename15th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometryen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceSydney, Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate15 November 2021en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination131en_AU
dc.identifier.uriRetrieved from: https://ams15sydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/AMS-15-Full-Program-and-Abstract-Book-R-1.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/14436en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisationen_AU
dc.subjectAge estimationen_AU
dc.subjectArchaeologyen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_AU
dc.subjectHumansen_AU
dc.subjectRocksen_AU
dc.subjectSheltersen_AU
dc.subjectCalciumen_AU
dc.subjectPhosphatesen_AU
dc.subjectCultural objectsen_AU
dc.titleDating correlated microlayers in engraved, oxalate-rich accretions: new archives of paleoenvironments and human activity from Australian rock art sheltersen_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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