Tell es-Sultan (Jericho): radiocarbon results of short-lived cereal and multiyear charcoal samples from the end of the Middle Bronze Age

Abstract

Presents the results of 18 samples, associated stratigraphically with the end of the Middle Bronze Age (MBA) at Tell es-Sultan. Six short-lived samples consist of charred cereal grains and 12 multiyear samples are composed of charcoal. The weighted average 14C date of the short-lived grains is 3306 ± 7 BP. The multiyear charcoal yielded, as expected, a somewhat older average: 3370 ± 6 BP. Both dates are more precise than the standard deviation (σ) of the calibration curves and the absolute standard of oxalic acid. Wiggles in the calibration curves translate the precise BP dates into rather wide ranges in historical years. More definite statements about the calibrated ages cannot be made until the acccuracy of available calibration curves has been tested.