A new carbon dating technology tool being developed by researchers at the University of Liverpool could lead archaeologists to date finds much quicker and easier.
Radiocarbon dating is used to determine the age of ancient objects by means of measuring the amount of carbon-14 remaining in a sample. However it is an expensive process which takes place offsite and typically takes six weeks or more which means that an excavation is likely to be over before the important dating information can be obtained.
But now, the new quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) being developed at the university will reduce the time it takes to obtain data for a bone sample to just two days.
Significantly the technology can also be utilised onsite, and this is the first time this has been attempted.
So far the technique has been has been used to analyse both medieval and post medieval bone samples provided by Norton Priory Museum & Gardens, the most excavated monastic site in Europe.
Professor Steve Taylor, from the University’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics who is leading the project, commented, “It will be a challenge to develop a portable instrument to achieve the required performance, but thanks to this funding we are in a strong position to make a real attempt.”
Frank Hargrave, Director of Norton Priory added, “The potential of this new technique is incalculable. Archaeologists will, for the first time, be able to make decisions onsite and within days of sampling.
“The expense and time consuming nature of conventional methods will also no longer be a barrier and it’s likely that many more samples will be able to be taken with significant benefits to the archaeological record.”
It is anticipated that the first new QMS unit of its type is will be commercially available for field trials by archaeologists in 2016.
The project received a £96,000 investment from Art Council for England’s Museum Resilience Fund which supports museums to become more financially sustainable.
A new carbon dating technology tool being developed by researchers at the University of Liverpool could lead archaeologists to date finds much quicker and easier.
Radiocarbon dating is used to determine the age of ancient objects by means of measuring the amount of carbon-14 remaining in a sample. However it is an expensive process which takes place offsite and typically takes six weeks or more which means that an excavation is likely to be over before the important dating information can be obtained.
But now, the new quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) being developed at the university will reduce the time it takes to obtain data for a bone sample to just two days.
Significantly the technology can also be utilised onsite, and this is the first time this has been attempted.
So far the technique has been has been used to analyse both medieval and post medieval bone samples provided by Norton Priory Museum & Gardens, the most excavated monastic site in Europe.
Professor Steve Taylor, from the University’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics who is leading the project, commented, “It will be a challenge to develop a portable instrument to achieve the required performance, but thanks to this funding we are in a strong position to make a real attempt.”
Frank Hargrave, Director of Norton Priory added, “The potential of this new technique is incalculable. Archaeologists will, for the first time, be able to make decisions onsite and within days of sampling.
It is anticipated that the first new QMS unit of its type is will be commercially available for field trials by archaeologists in 2016.
The project received a £96,000 investment from Art Council for England’s Museum Resilience Fund which supports museums to become more financially sustainable.
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