Setting the Time Frame – Investigating Culture-Environment Interactions in the Late Quaternary

Abstract:

We present a status update of luminescence age estimates of sediments from Ethiopia and the Iberian Peninsula that are related to human occupation and are currently being investigated in the interdisciplinary Collaborative Research Center “Our way to Europe – Culture-Environment Interaction and Human Mobility in the Late Quaternary” (CRC806). The aim of the project is to investigate the dispersal of anatomically modern humans from Africa to Europe, and a robust chronology is essential. In the CRC806, dating is provided by luminescence, palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon techniques.

A key site of the CRC806 is Chew Bahir in Ethiopia. This lake basin is located in the source area of the emergence of anatomically modern humans. Radiocarbon, luminescence and palaeomagnetic dating have been used to develop an age-depth model for drill core sediments that date back to 115 ka over 42 m depth. The model is independent of palaeoclimatic proxy interpretation.

On the Iberian Peninsula cave deposits have been dated with luminescence techniques and compared to radiocarbon ages wherever applicable. Recently, existing radiocarbon chronologies on the Iberian Peninsula have been revised in light of methodological developments. Robust luminescence dating is therefore especially important in this region, where the stratigraphy is difficult to constrain.

We aim to improve the precision of luminescence age estimates by comparing different measurement techniques for equivalent dose and dose-rate determinations, and by using Bayesian statistics to develop age-depth models. Combining different chronological techniques has enabled the development of accurate and precise chronologies, which will allow a better understanding of the emergence of modern humans.