========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 14:58:05 -0700 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: David Sewell Subject: RADIOCARBON online orders page; Lyon 14C conference Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii We've just completed an online orders page that will allow people to order RADIOCARBON subscriptions and other publications via the World Wide Web, with a VISA or MasterCard number. (It uses secure-server encryption for security, though it's possible to access the orders page from browsers that don't support encryption also.) To celebrate, we are offering a free RADIOCARBON mouse pad to everyone who places an order via the Web page during April. Be the first one in your department to own a mouse pad with a half-life of 5730 years! For details: David S. P.S.: If you will be attending the 3rd International Symposium on 14C and Archaeology in Lyon this month, please consider sharing impressions/news/information from the conference on C14-L after your return for those of us who won't be there. -- David Sewell, Acting Managing Editor dsew@packrat.aml.arizona.edu RADIOCARBON: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona 4717 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson, Arizona 85712 USA Telephone: +1 520 881 0857 Fax: +1 520 881 0554 WWW server: http://packrat.aml.arizona.edu/ ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 09:03:16 -0700 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: David Sewell Subject: Forensic applications of 14C dating? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Dear C14-L list folk, We've just received a query from someone who wants to know when and where radiocarbon dating has been used as evidence in a court trial. I know that in the past few years techniques have been refined for establishing recent death dates via AMS measurements on human bones (e.g. the paper by Wild et al. of the VERA group forthcoming in the Groningen Conference proceedings). I also seem to remember that 14C dating has occasionally been used in legal disputes over authenticity of ancient art objects, but I can't remember details of actual court cases. If you have personal experience in this area or can point to published references, could you reply to me so that I can forward the information? (Or reply to the list if you think it's of general interest--the topic of forensic applications and legal admissibility might spark some discussion.) David S. -- David Sewell, Acting Managing Editor dsew@packrat.aml.arizona.edu RADIOCARBON: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona 4717 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson, Arizona 85712 USA Telephone: +1 520 881 0857 Fax: +1 520 881 0554 WWW server: http://packrat.aml.arizona.edu/ ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 13:27:35 -0500 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: "Nikolaas J. van der Merwe" Subject: Re: Forensic applications of 14C dating? In-Reply-To: <19980402090316.06454@packrat> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I know that John Vogel of the Pretoria Radiocarbon Lab has testified in court about the age of elephant ivory, when someone in illegal possession of tusks claimed they were heirlooms older than the legislation against trade in ivory. Best to get the details from the source.NJvdM Prof Nikolaas J van der Merwe Peabody Museum Harvard University 11 Divinity Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 Tel 617-495-8921 Fax 495-8925 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1998 20:34:15 +0200 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: Greg Doudna Subject: SV: Forensic applications of 14C dating? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My files with all details are in another country on this, but a curator of ancient manuscripts at a library at Duke University sent me some documents concerning a US tax case in which 14C dates were entered as evidence. The case involved a biblical manuscript dated c. 8th to 10th century AD donated to Duke University and the issue was the value. The IRS (US tax agency) charged the valuation claimed was too high by a factor of 10 or 20 times its true value. What was interesting was that both sides entered expert testimony from biblical scholars with major names who differed on the valuation to this extent in their testimony. The donor had two radiocarbon datings done, one at Oxford and another at Tucson. The letters from each lab in response were entered as evidence and therefore became public record. There is no sign that either lab knew that the other lab was also doing a dating. Both labs' dates agreed in establishing the antiquity of the manuscript to c. 8th-10th century AD. The outcome of the case was that the judge accepted neither scholar's subjective testimony as to valuation but decided on a valuation figure somewhere in the middle that was supported by evidence of an offer that had been made for the manuscript for that amount. The manuscript remains unpublished, though James Charlesworth, a biblical scholar now at Princeton, is or was the assigned editor. The case occurred c. a decade ago. I have no more specific details but perhaps this anecdote is of interest. Greg Doudna Research Associate Univ. of Copenhagen Dead Sea Scrolls Initiative Copenhagen, Denmark gd@teol.ku.dk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 14:11:56 +0100 Reply-To: jchartra@bournemouth.ac.uk Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: "Jeffrey A. Chartrand" Organization: ConSci Bournemouth University Subject: Stonehenge Pentalemma Lecture Series Comments: To: Arch-l Arch-l , ARCHCOMP-L , ARTIFACT , britarch , gisarch , "LITHICS-L@LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Appologies for Cross Posting, Please forward as appropriate. Bournemouth University School of Conservation Sciences in association with CBA Wessex Region is pleased to announce a major series of five weekly evening lectures to be given by leading speakers at Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus starting Thursday 23 April 1998 running till Thursday 21st May 1998. Information and booking form on this event can be found on the School's WWW pages: http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/consci/text/pent_flyer.htm or by contacting Katherine Barker, Continuing Education Office, School of Conservation Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB Telephone 01202 595516, FAX 01202 595255 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:05:08 -0700 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: David Sewell Subject: Media coverage of Shroud of Turin dating Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii The Shroud of Turin will return to public display for a couple of months beginning 18 April, an event that is being accompanied by a fair amount of media coverage, some of which will be relevant to people in the radiocarbon community. (You may be getting the usual phone calls asking for comment from reporters, for one thing...) Kim Elliott points out for North American TV viewers that CBS will be airing a feature on the shroud that includes interviewes with some of the people involved in the AMS dating (notably Harry Gove), on the show "The Public Eye" (9 p.m. EST). CNN is supposed to be airing a segment on next weekend's "Impact" show. Details of these shows and others are available on the Shroud's website (oh yes, the Shroud has a home page--maintained by Barrie Schwortz, the STURP photographer; he believes in the shroud's authenticity but presents a balanced range of information) at http://www.shroud.com/. DS -- David Sewell, Acting Managing Editor dsew@packrat.aml.arizona.edu RADIOCARBON: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona 4717 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson, Arizona 85712 USA Telephone: +1 520 881 0857 Fax: +1 520 881 0554 WWW server: http://packrat.aml.arizona.edu/ ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 10:34:43 EDT Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: JWilso5584 Subject: Re: Forensic applications of 14C dating? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Dear David This is an interesting question. As you are probably aware in Britain we occasionally turn up 'bog burials'. These are bodies that have been preserved in peat bogs sometimes for 2000 years or more. The low pH of the bog tends to dissolve away the bones and teeth but the soft tissues are very well preserved. Many of these bog burials show signs of a violent death, garroting and severe damage to the sculls or rather the tissue that once surrounded the scull. In the last few years a scull was found in a peat bog in Cheshire. A local woman was missing in mysterious circumstances and the husband was under suspicion. On being confronted with the scull (and whatever methods the police use during interviews) he confessed. The scull was carbon dated to 2000 years old. He was convicted of murder. If this is of interest to your correspondent I will try and find out the details of the case - though on the face of it It does not seem to lend much support for C-14 dating in forensics! Regards John ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 14:32:21 -0700 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: David Sewell Subject: 9th Int Conference on Luminescence and ESR Dating Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii We've just received the first announcement of the 9th International Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance Dating, to be held in Rome, Italy, 6-10 September 1999. Further information can be obtained from: Scientific Secretariat Organizing Secretariat Dr. Emanuela Siblia PR & Co., Roma Dipartimento di Scienza b.fersini@flashnet.it dei Materiali, Milano sibilia@mater.unimi.it Web site: http://www.mater.unimi.it/LED99/ -- David Sewell, Acting Managing Editor dsew@packrat.aml.arizona.edu RADIOCARBON: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona 4717 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson, Arizona 85712 USA Telephone: +1 520 881 0857 Fax: +1 520 881 0554 WWW server: http://packrat.aml.arizona.edu/ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 15:05:43 -0500 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: Howard Melville Subject: radiocarbon dating questions Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Date: Sat, 04 Apr 1998 16:08:36 -0400 >From: Donna Black >Reply-To: donna.black@ns.sympatico.ca >Subject: radiocarbon dating questions >Status: RO > >Dear Mr. Melville, > I found your e-mail address on the web and I was hoping that you could >help me. I am a high school student in Halifax, and I am researching a >project for my calculus class. I am studying radiocarbon dating, and I >was wondering if you would be able to supply me with some information. I >am already inondated with facts about gas counting, liquid scintillation >counting, and accelerator mass spectrometry, but I can't seem to find a >mathemetical equation that Willard Libby used originally. Does such am >equation exist? If it does, I would greatly appreciate it if you could >take the time to send it to me or briefly explain how radiocarbon dating >relates to calculus. My e-mail address is donna.black@ns.sympatico.ca. >Thank you very much for your time. > Sincerely, > Stephanie Black > This request came to me and I was wondering if anyone receiving this listserve could help Ms. Black. Thank you in advance if you can answer her question . Howard Melville Howard Melville ph. 905 688-5550 ext 3522 Earth Sciences Dept. fax 905 682-9020 Brock University St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 16:14:22 -0500 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: Ken Brown Subject: Re: radiocarbon dating questions In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 03:05 PM 4/14/98 -0500, you wrote: "I am a high school student in Halifax, and I am researching a project for my calculus class..... [can you] briefly explain how radiocarbon dating relates to calculus." => I will reply off-list to Stephanie Black, but since similar questions may arise in the future, I thought I'd mention that radiocarbon dating is used as an example in the following math textbook. See pages 16-18 in McCann, Roger C. 1982 Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. ISBN 0-15-543485-3 ___________________________________________________ Music is too important to be left to musicians -- Linda Ellerbee Ken Brown Texas Archeological Research Lab J.J. Pickle Research Campus 5 Austin, Texas 78712-1100 phone (voice mail):(512)471-3990 fax (512)471-5973 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 08:21:06 -0500 Reply-To: Radiocarbon Mailing List Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: Howard Melville Subject: Re: radiocarbon dating questions In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.19980414161422.00822da0@mail.utexas.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello Ken, Thank you for replying to my request about information regarding how calculus relates to Radiocarbon Dating and it's calculation. Sincerely, Howard Melville Howard Melville ph. 905 688-5550 ext 3522 Earth Sciences Dept. fax 905 682-9020 Brock University St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1 ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 18:42:03 +0100 Reply-To: jchartra@bournemouth.ac.uk Sender: Radiocarbon Mailing List From: "Jeffrey A. Chartrand" Organization: ConSci Bournemouth University Subject: Archaeological Field School - Billown, Isle of Man June 15 to July 19 1998 Comments: To: Arch-l , ARCHCOMP-L , ARTIFACT , britarch , CBA CBA <100271.456@compuserve.com>, "LITHICS-L@LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Appolgies for Cross Posting. Please forward where appropriate. Opportunities to Participate: The forth season of excavations and survey will take place at Billown, Isle of Man, between June 15th and July 19th 1998. The programme of work will include the excavation of Neolithic and Bronze Age features associated with a causewayed ditch, Ronaldsway urnfield, and a Bronze Age fieldsystem. Geophysical, topographic and environmental surveys will be carried out in the surrounding countryside. Applications from individuals wishing to join the project, which is run as a university training school (Bournemouth University), are now invited. For details please look at our web pages or contact the Project Director Prof. Timothy Darvill (tdarvill@bmth.ac.uk) WWW pages: Field School information http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/consci/text/arky_field_billown.htm Bournemouth Unviversity Archaeology http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/consci/text/archgrp.htm School of Conservation Sciences http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/consci/text/