Absolute dating of the European Neolithic using the 5259 BC rapid ¹⁴C excursion

Area of Science:

• Archaeological science
• Radiocarbon dating
• Dendrochronology

Background:

• Abrupt radiocarbon (¹⁴C) excursions, or Miyake events, offer precise dating opportunities in archaeology.
• The Neolithic site of Dispilio in Greece is a significant waterlogged archaeological find.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an absolute calendar date for the Neolithic site of Dispilio using a Miyake event.
• To create a fixed chronological anchor point for European Neolithic regional chronologies.

Main Methods:

• A tree-ring and radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating study was conducted on juniper wood samples from Dispilio.
• The 5259 BC Miyake event was identified and utilized for precise dating.

Main Results:

• A 303-year-long juniper tree-ring chronology was established.
• The final ring of this chronology was dated to 5140 BC, providing an absolute calendar date for the site.
• Dispilio is the first European Neolithic site to be dated using a Miyake event.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully anchored the Dispilio site to an absolute calendar date via a Miyake event.
• This provides a vital fixed point for dating other Neolithic sites in the region.
• The findings enhance the chronological framework for European prehistory.