Radiocarbon dating of bones from archeological site Târgșoru Vechi

Abstract

The early medieval settlement identified in 2019 on the west side of Târgșoru Vechi is one of the largest settlements so far investigated in Wallachia, dating from the end of the first millennium AD. Sampling for radiocarbon analysis was done from inside the houses (especially in the area of the fireplace), from the graves, as well as from one of the possible wells. Supplementary samples were also taken from a group of tombs (west-east oriented) previously studied. In this study, several pretreatment methods were applied to historical bones and teeth from the Târgșoru Vechi site, in order to remove different contaminants to ensure accurate AMS analysis. The C/N atomic weight ratio of the untreated and pretreated bones was observed to be a useful indicator for the most suitable processing method. After collagen was extracted, in the RoAMS laboratory from IFIN-HH, it was graphitized using the Automated Graphitization Equipment (AGE3) and the isotopic ratios 14C/12C, 13C/12C were measured with the 1MV Tandetron Accelerator. The radiocarbon age was in the estimated archaeological range between 1114 and 1256BP. After calendar ages were obtained, using the IntCal20 calibration curve the placement of the studied archeological site in time was confirmed, which paves the way for an extensive Târgșoru Vechi site investigation.