A comparison of archaeointensity results from Chinese ceramics using Thellier's and Shaw's palaeointensity methods

Abstract

A collection of Chinese ceramics covering the time period 2700‐7500 BP has been investigated using adaptations of both the Thellier & Thellier (1959) and Shaw (1974) palaoeintensity techniques. Several rock magnetic techniques were used to investigate the magnetic properties of the samples and on the basis of these measurements some samples were rejected because of their poor magnetic behaviour. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), thermo‐remanent magnetization (TRM) and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) were investigated. Based on the relationship between ARM and TRM anisotropy, modified ARMs were used for anisotropy correction. Twenty samples were studied using the Shaw method and 34 were studied using the Thellier method. An acceptable agreement between the results from the two methods was found. General features of the secular variation of geomagnetic intensity determined from the present study are consistent with those of the global model of McElhinny & Senanayake (1982). Copyright © 1993, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved