Luminescence dating of quartz using an improved single aliquot regenerative-dose protocol

Cosmic ray contributions to dose rates for luminescence and ESR dating: Large depths and long-term time variations

Jinmium rock shelter is famous for the claims made by Fullagar et al. (1996) for the early human colonization and ancient rock art of northern Australia. These claims were based on thermo-luminescence ages obtained for the artefact-bearing quartz sediments that form the floor deposit at the site. In this paper, we outline the background to the optical dating programme at Jinmium, and describe the experimental design and statistical methods used to obtain optical ages from single grains of quartz sand. The results, interpretations, and implications of this dating programme are reported in a companion paper (Roberts et al. 1999, this volume).

Optical dating of single and multiple grains of quartz from jinmium rock shelter, northern australia: part i, experimental design and statistical models*

A review of quartz optically stimulated luminescence characteristics and their relevance in single-aliquot regeneration dating protocols

An introduction to optical dating

Australia's oldest human remains, found at Lake Mungo, include the world's oldest ritual ochre burial (Mungo III) and the first recorded cremation (Mungo I). Until now, the importance of these finds has been constrained by limited chronologies and palaeoenvironmental information. Mungo III, the source of the world's oldest human mitochondrial DNA, has been variously estimated at 30 thousand years (kyr) old, 42-45 kyr old and 62 +/- 6 kyr old, while radiocarbon estimates placed the Mungo I cremation near 20-26 kyr ago. Here we report a new series of 25 optical ages showing that both burials occurred at 40 +/- 2 kyr ago and that humans were present at Lake Mungo by 50-46 kyr ago, synchronously with, or soon after, initial occupation of northern and western Australia. Stratigraphic evidence indicates fluctuations between lake-full and drier conditions from 50 to 40 kyr ago, simultaneously with increased dust deposition, human arrival and continent-wide extinction of the megafauna. This was followed by sustained aridity between 40 and 30 kyr ago. This new chronology corrects previous estimates for human burials at this important site and provides a new picture of Homo sapiens adapting to deteriorating climate in the world's driest inhabited continent.

New ages for human occupation and climatic change at Lake Mungo, Australia

Cosmic ray and gamma ray dosimetry for TL and ESR

The stranded beach-dune sequence of south-east South Australia: A test of thermoluminescence dating, 0–800 ka

http://www.lsi.usp.br/~bulla/tl-review.pdf

John R. Prescott

Papers

Cosmic ray contributions to dose rates for luminescence and ESR dating: Large depths and long-term time variations

New ages for human occupation and climatic change at Lake Mungo, Australia

Cosmic ray and gamma ray dosimetry for TL and ESR

The stranded beach-dune sequence of south-east South Australia: A test of thermoluminescence dating, 0–800 ka

Sediment dating by luminescence: a review