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The volcanic eruption of Santorini in the Bronze Age left detectable debris across the Mediterranean, serving as an anchor in time for the region, synchronizing chronologies of different sites. However, dating the eruption has been elusive for decades, as radiocarbon indicates a date about a century earlier than archaeological chronologies. The identification of annual rings by CT in a charred olive branch, buried alive beneath the tephra on Santorini, was key in radiocarbon dating the eruption. Here, we detect a verified annual growth in a modern olive branch for the first time, using stable isotope analysis and high-resolution radiocarbon dating, identifying down to the growing season in some years. The verified growth is largely visible by CT, both in the branch’s fresh and charred forms. Although these results support the validity of the Santorini branch date, we observed some chronological anomalies in modern olive and simulated possible date range scenarios of the volcanic eruption of Santorini, given these observed phenomena. The results offer a way to reconcile this long-standing debate towards a mid-sixteenth century BCE date.

In the context of digital humanities and access to cultural heritage online, this paper explores the discoverability of Late Antique material in some searchable museum collections and in some major archaeological and art historical image and object databases. It follows an exploratory approach by using simple keyword searches, such as ‘late antique’ or ‘byzantine’, and comparing the results with chronological searches when a date or period filter is available. Although Late Antique material often comprises a smaller number of objects compared to more popular periods like the Roman and the Renaissance, these are difficult to research due to inconsistent labelling practices and the frequent lack of a customizable date range filter. The ongoing debates on proper periodization and nomenclature also need to be taken into consideration.

As one of the many unique markets where the opportunity arose to utilize the COVID-19 pandemic to stimulate monetary growth and increase popularity, third-party delivery services made an interesting case to evaluate financial performance pre- and mid-pandemic. The primary purpose of this research was to determine whether the businesses GrubHub, UberEats, and DoorDash were successful in facilitating growth with the seemingly advantageous circumstances provided by the national emergency. Financial performance was evaluated utilizing economic key performance indicators (KPIs) for revenue, liquidity, and profitability. All data was collected from eight quarterly income statements and balance sheets from 2019 and 2020 for each company. Averages of the KPIs were computed for cumulative quarters prior to and including March 2020, after the announcement of COVID-19 restrictions, and the quarters subsequent to that date range; the mean values were then compared across both time periods. Results suggest an overall positive trend for DoorDash for all metrics and negative trend in terms of liquidity for UberEats and GrubHub. Furthermore, revenues for all three platforms possessed an increased expansion rate during COVID-19 within a range of 9.07-12.60%. Implications of this experiment include possible research of non-food delivery platforms that operate based on the sale of virtual products during the pandemic or further exploration of such companies as COVID-19 begins to subside.

This paper examines how ancient DNA data can enhance radiocarbon dating. Because there is a limit to the number of years that can separate the dates of death of related individuals, the ability to identify relatives through ancient DNA analysis can serve as a constraint on radiocarbon date range estimates. To determine the number of years that can separate related individuals, we modeled maximums derived from biological extremes of human reproduction and death ages and compiled data from historic and genealogical death records. We used these data to jointly study the date ranges of a global dataset of individuals that have been radiocarbon dated and for which ancient DNA analysis identified at least one relative. We found that many of these individuals could have their date uncertainties reduced by building in date of death separation constraints. We examined possible reasons for date discrepancies of related individuals, such as dating of different skeletal elements or wiggles in the radiocarbon curve. We also developed a program, refinedate, which researchers can download and use to help refine the radiocarbon date distributions of related individuals. Our research demonstrates that when combined, radiocarbon dating and ancient DNA analysis can provide a refined and richer view of the past., This work was funded by NIH grant GM100233, the Paul Allen Foundation, John Templeton Foundation (grant number 6122).

Around 70% of people would prefer to die at home, yet around 50% die in hospital, according to Dying Matters. In collaboration with a local hospice, a literature review was undertaken to address the question: ‘what factors precipitate admission to hospital in the last few days of a person's life for those who had expressed a preference to die at home?’ Four electronic databases were searched, with a date range of 2008 to 2018. After 80 articles were screened, 13 were included in the review. The findings identified a number of barriers experienced by people with non-cancer conditions nearing the end of life and their family carers, which inhibit the transition to end-of-life care. The findings suggest that hospice support for non-cancer patients with a deteriorating health trajectory needs to precede patient and family recognition that end-of-life care is needed.

This paper examines how ancient DNA data can enhance radiocarbon dating. Because there is a limit to the number of years that can separate the dates of death of related individuals, the ability to identify first-, second-, and third-degree relatives through aDNA analysis can serve as a constraint on radiocarbon date range estimates. To determine the number of years that can separate related individuals, we modeled maximums derived from biological extremes of human reproduction and death ages and compiled data from historic and genealogical death records. We used these estimates to evaluate the date ranges of a global dataset of individuals that have been radiocarbon dated and for which ancient DNA analysis identified at least one relative. We found that many of these individuals could have their date ranges reduced by building in date of death separation constraints. We examined possible reasons for date discrepancies of related individuals, such as dating of different skeletal elements or wiggles in the radiocarbon curve. Our research demonstrates that when combined, radiocarbon dating and ancient DNA analysis can provide a refined and richer view of the past.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical alert systems (CAS) have been used to analyze deviations from hospital standards in the electronic medical record to identify missing documentations and send alerts to the appropriate providers to increase adherence to required elements. To improve compliance, an alert system for documentation of the Immediate Preoperative Assessment (IPOA) was implemented at our institution in August 2018 with the goal of improving documentation compliance rates. We hypothesized that implementation of this alert system would increase the compliance of on-time documentation of the IPOA. METHODS: An initial data query in our institutional data warehouse was made for all patients who had a completed anesthetic during our study period. This date range corresponded to 6 months before and after August 2(nd), 2018, the date when the IPOA alert was implemented and the anesthesiology department. The following analyses were performed: testing the proportion of cases compliant with on-time documentation of the IPOA pre- versus post-implementation for the full cohort and among subsets of interest, testing the time when the IPOA was completed relative to anesthesia end, and testing whether time of day of when surgery occurred had an impact on the time when the IPOA was completed relative to the drapes off/IPOA alert sent time. The proportion of compliance for pre- versus post-implementation was tested by Chi-square test. RESULTS: Through retrospective chart review of electronic patient records, 47,417 cases matched our inclusion criteria of patients that had a completed anesthetic between February 2(nd), 2018 to February 2(nd), 2019. In total, we excluded 5132 cases. The compliance rate of IPOA completion increased from 76% to 88% (P < 0.001) before and after the alert implementation date. In the initial month following alert implementation, the compliance rate immediately increased to 83% and stayed in the high 80’s for the balance of the study period. CONCLUSION: In summary, we demonstrate that automated Clinical Alert Systems operating via a single page notification can improve the compliance rate for documentation of key anesthesia events and that this observation is sustained six months after the implementation date. Furthermore, improvement in compliance is highest shorter cases and cases that occur early in the day. This study shows promising results in the use of automatic CAS system alerts to help hospitals meet the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Joint Commission (TJC) standards.

Lots of data have a date range for validity – when is or was the event or price or whatever active. Schedules, prices, discounts, versioning, audit trails, the list is endless.

Dating techniques are often, but not invariably, related to the analysis of stratigraphical records, for example in geoarchaeology and historical ecology reconstructions. They offer a variety of choices for assigning a relative, incremental, or absolute date (or date range) to different types of records, such as sediment layers, artifacts, and organic remains. This chapter gives an overview of dating techniques and a visualization of the dating results.

Background: Elevated sound levels and low language exposures of preterm infants (< 37 weeks) cared for in the neonatal unit contribute to poorer growth, cognition, language and motor outcomes. These delays can have lasting effects on childhood development and continue throughout adult life. Whilst recommendations have been established for appropriate sound exposure levels in neonatal units, very little is known about the optimal level of language exposure. Objectives: To examine the evidence regarding language exposure, both measured (observational) and prescribed (interventional), in preterm infants (< 37 weeks) cared for in neonatal units and to identify optimal exposure levels to promote neurodevelopment. Search Methods: An electronic search of English-language articles with an open date range was conducted in the PubMed, MEDLINE, Joanna Briggs, CINAHL and Cochrane databases and in Google Scholar. The criteria were limited to original research studies of preterm infants (< 37 weeks) in which language was either measured as it naturally occurred in the neonatal unit environment or through a language intervention. Results: The search produced a total of 2,367 articles, 49 of which were related to language. A full-text review of these articles identified 10 eligible studies and 6 studies from reference searches. Conclusions: Preterm infants experience low levels of language exposure and high sound exposures in neonatal units. There is a lack of conclusive evidence to recommend an optimal level of language exposure to support improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. Further research from large, good-quality clinical trials is required before clear direction can be provided to inform clinical practice.

We use COVID-19 case and mortality data from 1 February 2020 to 21 September 2020 and a deterministic SEIR (susceptible, exposed, infectious and recovered) compartmental framework to model possible trajectories of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions in the United States at the state level from 22 September 2020 through 28 February 2021. Using this SEIR model, and projections of critical driving covariates (pneumonia seasonality, mobility, testing rates and mask use per capita), we assessed scenarios of social distancing mandates and levels of mask use. Projections of current non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies by state-with social distancing mandates reinstated when a threshold of 8 deaths per million population is exceeded (reference scenario)-suggest that, cumulatively, 511,373 (469,578-578,347) lives could be lost to COVID-19 across the United States by 28 February 2021. We find that achieving universal mask use (95% mask use in public) could be sufficient to ameliorate the worst effects of epidemic resurgences in many states. Universal mask use could save an additional 129,574 (85,284-170,867) lives from September 22, 2020 through the end of February 2021, or an additional 95,814 (60,731-133,077) lives assuming a lesser adoption of mask wearing (85%), when compared to the reference scenario.

Papyri 10012A and 10012B from Illahun, Egypt, provide the earliest astro-chronological datum in history and, while calculated to various years in the 19th century BCE, have never been independently verified. As this datum enables the Middle Kingdom (MK) section of Egyptian historical chronology to be anchored in absolute time, it establishes the principal calendrical timeline for the eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age in the first half of the 2nd millennium BCE. AMS radiocarbon measurements of Papyrus 10012B establish its date range to 1886–1750 BCE, confirming the astronomical calculations and the essential reliability of Egyptian historical chronology for this period. Furthermore, all three leading estimates for the calendar year attribution of the document are supported by this analysis, with the role of a possible growing season effect determining which is most favored.

Patients who have ranitidine tablets from certain batches, identified through the US’s National Drug Code, should “immediately discontinue use and consult with their physician or healthcare provider about treatment options,” says an alert from Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.1 The alert, published on the US Food and Drug Administration website, said that the company had announced a voluntary recall of all unexpired lots of ranitidine tablets (150 mg and 300 mg), including from patients. The recalled 150 mg batches are: NDC 684620-248-60; 684620-248-01; and 684620-248-05 (expiry date range December 2019 to May 2022). The recalled 300 mg batches are: 684620-249-30; 684620-249-01; and 684620-249-20 …

To better understand user conversations revolving around antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on Twitter, we used an online data collection and analysis toolkit with full firehose access to collect corpuses of tweets with "antibiotic" and "antimicrobial resistance" keyword tracks. The date range included tweets from November 28, 2015, to November 25, 2016, for both datasets. This yearlong date range provides insight into how users have discussed antibiotics and AMR and identifies any spikes in activity during a particular time frame. Overall, we found that discussions about antibiotics and AMR predominantly occur in the United States and the United Kingdom, with roughly equal gender participation. These conversations are influenced by news sources, health professionals, and governmental health organizations. Users will often defer to retweet and recirculate content posted from these official sources and link to external articles instead of posting their own musings on the subjects. Our findings are important benchmarks in understanding the prevalence and reach of potential misinformation about antibiotics and AMR on Twitter.

Radiographic fracture date estimation is a critical component of skeletal trauma analysis in the living. Several timetables have been proposed for how the appearance of radiographic features can be interpreted to provide a likely time frame for fracture occurrence. This study compares three such timetables for pediatric fractures, by Islam et al. (2000), Malone et al. (2011), and Prosser et al. (2012), in order to determine whether the fracture date ranges produced by using these methods are in agreement with one another. Fracture date ranges were estimated for 112 long bone fractures in 96 children aged 1-17 years, using the three different timetables. The extent of similarity of the intervals was tested by statistically comparing the overlap between the ranges. Results showed that none of the methods were in perfect agreement with one another. Differences seen included the size of the estimated date range for when a fracture occurred, and the specific dates given for both the upper and lower ends of the fracture date range. There was greater similarity between the ranges produced by Malone et al. (2011) and both the other two studies than there was between Islam et al. (2000) and Prosser et al. (2012). The greatest similarity existed between Malone et al. (2011) and Islam et al. (2000). The extent of differences between methods can vary widely, depending on the fracture analysed. Using one timetable gives an average earliest possible fracture date of less than 2 days before another, but the range was extreme, with one method estimating minimum time since fracture as 25 days before another method for a given fracture. In most cases, one method gave maximum time since fracture as a week less than the other two methods, but range was extreme and some estimates were nearly two months different. The variability in fracture date estimates given by these timetables indicates that caution should be exercised when estimating the timing of a juvenile fracture if relying solely on one of the published guides. Future research should be undertaken to compare these methods on a population of known fracture timing, and to better understand the relationship between age of the individual, skeletal health, fracture healing rates, and radiographic characteristics of fracture healing.

The 8MR03538 White Ranch/De Soto site is one of the most thoroughly vetted and scientifically dated archaeological sites in recent history. It has been confirmed as a contact site of the 1539 entrada by conquistador Hernando de Soto and his army. This site identified to have multiple occupations was the location of one of Hernando de Soto’s early camps in the sixteenth century and was in later use during the seventeenth century Spanish mission and ranching period. This important First Spanish Cultural Period site is located between Ocala and Gainesville, Florida on the wetlands of Orange Lake. Based on historical documentation, the site would be located east of the Aucilla River within the Timucuan Province. This investigation contains a systemic analysis of the artifacts from site 8MR03538 recovered between 2005 and 2015 with additional X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis (pXFR) of material artifacts compared to current museum databases for date range and confirmed elemental composition consistent with western European artifacts manufactured in the late 15th to early 16th centuries. Bioarchaeological studies of the animal remains reveal the one-sigma calibrated calendrical date range is AD 1529 ± 11 years: the 95% confidence level age range is AD 1518–1540. The date calibrated from the 2 sigma 95.4% confidence interval centered at the year 1540. Detailed field notes, ground truth studies performed with penetrating radar, magnetic detection and geographic information systems were used to record and analyze the excavation site and its geospatial relationships. This analysis reconfirms at the highest threshold the conclusions and documentation confirming that site 8MR03538 is where Hernando de Soto came to the area of Potano on August 12th 1539. His army began camping just to the south of this location from August 11th to August 22nd and then marched north through Potano to join him on the entrada at Aguacaleyquen. The ceramic, coin and material cultural artifact assemblages from 8MR03538 strongly prove the visitation by De Soto and the later location for the sixteenth century mission visita known as Apula. The original mission constructed at the 8MR03538 site was burned by Spanish soldiers in 1584 and in 1601 the Potano chiefdom received permission to relocate the town of Potano closer to Orange Lake. In 1608 a new Franciscan mission San Buenaventura de Potano was built in the relocated town. The 8MR03538 site was reoccupied during the seventeenth century Spanish ranching period.

Estimation of time since death represents an essential, but difficult component of the analysis of human remains in the context of human rights investigations. Although morphological indicators of postmortem change can be influenced by many variables, radiocarbon analysis has proven to represent a useful approach. Radiocarbon values clearly reveal if the remains are ancient (radioactive decay) or modern (more recent than 1950 A.D.). If the latter, analysis of the radiocarbon value of specific tissues in consideration of documented atmospheric bomb-pulse values potentially can clarify both the birth date and death date. Frequently in human rights cases, it is important to establish if recovered remains relate to a particular death date or date range. In these cases, hypotheses can be formulated for testing with radiocarbon analysis.

The presbytery vault at St Albans is one of only two thirteenth-century wooden vaults over a main span to survive in England. A programme of cleaning and conservation carried out between 1997 and 2002, coupled with an analysis of the source and date of the timber used in its construction, significantly advanced our understanding of both the late thirteenth-century presbytery campaign at St Albans and thirteenth-century timber vault construction generally. As the inevitable density and restricted circulation of the final report on that work has hindered its wider reception, the following paper offers a summary, drawing attention to two features that may have wider implications for an appreciation of vaulting in timber. The first is that, although the general form adopted at St Albans is one associated with masonry vaulting, the wooden boards used for the vault webbing required a junction between the wall and the ridge rib, meaning that shallow liernes were originally deployed to run parallel to the central ridge. It is difficult to see this as imitative of vaulting in stone; rather it is likely to be the result of carpenters developing their own solutions to the constraints imposed by timber. Secondly, the late medieval remodelling of the vault replaced these liernes with false tiercerons, and rather nicely illustrates the ease with which timber vaulting could be modified. The dendrochronology gives a date range of 1273–93, and a date of around 1285 is suggested for the primary build. The major late medieval alterations are here associated with the second abbacy of John of Wheathampstead (1452–65).

The debate over the dating of the Santorini (Thera) volcanic eruption has seen sustained efforts to criticize or challenge the radiocarbon dating of this time horizon. We consider some of the relevant areas of possible movement in the14C dating—and, in particular, any plausible mechanisms to support as late (most recent) a date as possible. First, we report and analyze data investigating the scale of apparent possible14C offsets (growing season related) in the Aegean-Anatolia-east Mediterranean region (excluding the southern Levant and especially pre-modern, pre-dam Egypt, which is a distinct case), and find no evidence for more than very small possible offsets from several cases. This topic is thus not an explanation for current differences in dating in the Aegean and at best provides only a few years of latitude. Second, we consider some aspects of the accuracy and precision of14C dating with respect to the Santorini case. While the existing data appear robust, we nonetheless speculate that examination of the frequency distribution of the14C data on short-lived samples from the volcanic destruction level at Akrotiri on Santorini (Thera) may indicate that the average value of the overall data sets is not necessarily the most appropriate14C age to use for dating this time horizon. We note the recent paper of Soter (2011), which suggests that in such a volcanic context some (small) age increment may be possible from diffuse CO2emissions (the effect is hypothetical at this stage and hasnotbeen observed in the field), and that "if short-lived samples from the same stratigraphic horizon yield a wide range of14C ages, the lower values may be the least altered by old CO2." In this context, it might be argued that a substantive “low” grouping of14C ages observable within the overall14C data sets on short-lived samples from the Thera volcanic destruction level centered about 3326–3328 BP is perhaps more representative of the contemporary atmospheric14C age (without any volcanic CO2contamination). This is a subjective argument (since, in statistical terms, the existing studies using the weighted average remain valid) that looks to support as late a date as reasonable from the14C data. The impact of employing this revised14C age is discussed. In general, a late 17th century BC date range is found (to remain) to be most likelyeven ifsuch a late-dating strategy is followed—a late 17th century BC date range is thus a robust finding from the14C evidence even allowing for various possible variation factors. However, the possibility of a mid-16th century BC date (within ∼1593–1530 cal BC) is increased when compared against previous analyses if the Santorini data are considered in isolation.

This paper examines the dendrochronological analysis that was needed to establish the construction date of the Val Comeau canoe. The canoe was unearthed in northeastern New Brunswick after a large storm hit the area. It is currently housed at the New Brunswick Provincial Museum in Saint John, and had been radiocarbon dated to 440 ± 50 years. After a scanning electron microscope analysis, the species of the canoe wood was determined to be eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.). A chronology for the white pine species was constructed for New Brunswick using living trees and structures; however, the dates did not extend far enough back in time to overlap the range of radiocarbon dates on the canoe. Another eastern white pine chronology was established for Nova Scotia which included an Acadian sluice whose chronology extended back into the radio carbon date range on the canoe. The Val Comeau canoe was successfully pattern matched against the sluice chronology and dated to a minimum cut date of 1557. Regional white pine chronologies for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were also developed in the process which will help with future dendrochronological investigations within these regions.

Radiocarbon dating using Bayesian wiggle-matching of multiple dates has been applied to a cruck blade reused in a seventeenth-century farmhouse, Church End Farm, Nether Whitacre, Warwickshire, which was believed on typological grounds to date from the thirteenth century. However, the date range obtained for the felling of the timber was 1423–46 cal AD (95% probability). This unexpectedly late date has led to a re-evaluation of the original dating, which was based on an apparent close similarity with the tree-ring dated thirteenth-century cruck blades at Upton Magna, Shropshire. Whereas the great majority of arch-braced crucks use mortice-and-tenon joints between these members, it appears from the present project that the cruck trusses at Nether Whitacre and in three other buildings (and possibly also at Upton Magna) belong to a long-lasting though relatively uncommon carpentry tradition using halved joints for arch or straight bracing between blade and collar. The potential and the hazards of mode...

This paper uses a series of case studies to demonstrate recent developments in the interpretation of dendrochronological dating evidence (Miles 2005; 2006), and to evaluate the accuracy of the approach in practice. The adoption of a standardised protocol for the presentation of dates is suggested in order to provide a clear distinction between those results that incorporate a Bayesian approach to interpretation and those that do not. Individual and combined felling date ranges produced by existing methods are compared with those obtained using the new methodology. In particular, the selected case studies allow further appraisal of the Bayesian approach to the production of a combined felling date range for a group of timbers, and highlight the potentially delicate balance between accuracy and precision.

Boaretto et al. (2005) published 68 radiocarbon dates relating to 30 samples from 10 Iron Age sites in Israel as part of their Early Iron Age Dating Project. Though the main goal of their paper was an interlaboratory comparison, they also presented results of Bayesian models, calculating the transition from Iron Age I to Iron Age II in Israel to be about 900 BCE instead of the conventional date of about 1000 BCE. Since this date has great importance for all of Eastern Mediterranean archaeology, in this paper we examine the results in light of the dates published in the above-mentioned article. Our paper was revised in light of new data and interpretations published by Sharon et al. (2007). Following a survey of the contexts and specific results at each site, we present several Bayesian models. Model C2 suggests the date range of 961?942 BCE (68% probability) for the transition from Iron Age I to Iron Age II, while Model C3 indicates a somewhat later date of 948?919 BCE (compare the date 992?961 BCE calculated at Tel Rehov for the same transition). In our Model D, we calculated this transition date at Megiddo as taking place between 967?943 BCE. Finally, we calculated the range of dates of major destruction levels marking the end of the Iron Age I, with the following results: Megiddo VIA: 1010?943 BCE; Yoqne?am XVII: 1045?997 BCE; Tell Qasile X: 1039?979 BCE; Tel Hadar: 1043?979 BCE (all in the 68.2% probability range). Figure 4 indicates that the transition between Iron I and II probably occurred between these above-mentioned destruction events and the dates achieved in our Models C2 or C3, namely during the first half of the 10th century BCE. This study emphasizes the sensitivity of Bayesian models to outliers, and for reducing or adding dates from the models. This sensitivity should be taken into account when using Bayesian models for interpreting radiometric dates in relation to subtle chronological questions in historical periods.

If you have any experience with Salesforce.com, it’s probably safe to assume that you’ve created and/or run a few reports as part of that experience. Salesforce.com reporting falls into a different category than many of the other chapters in this book, as it is available to the vast majority of end users and not just a subset of those with administrative permissions. It’s also worth mentioning that the A-to-Z of reporting within Salesforce.com could easily provide enough content for a separate book. Considering both of those factors, I will assume a working knowledge of how to create and execute reports. I won’t be rehashing core report-builder functionality, such as how to view additional columns or limit by a date range. I will narrow our scope and go deeper in more focused areas, keying in on considerations that you should be aware of when designing and creating reports for your client or organization. We’ll cover a few areas in particular

The bibliography covers all aspects of Medieval Studies about the Secular Clergy within the date range 1100 to 1500. The geographical range is the continent of Europe of catholic tradition. Items are classified by countries.

Each object has a lifespan in which it is made, transported, marketed, used, and discarded. Although the manufacturing date range for artifacts may be known, we should not equate the manufacturing range for an object type with the use range for a particular object. Studies from several locations indicate ceramic artifacts have lifespans of as much as 15 years and more in a household before being discarded. Ceramics can be poor sources for dating sites if used without considering the cultural contexts in which they are used, yet ceramics are the artifact class used most often in dating sites.

A likely case of tuberculosis in an Iron Age human burial from Dorset, England is described. Osteological examination and biomolecular study support the diagnosis. A radiocarbon determination indicates a date range for the burial of BC 400–230. This case represents the earliest reported case of tuberculosis from Britain, and indicates that the disease was present here prior to the Roman invasion. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The commonly cited sources used by archaeologists for dating nails have been rendered outdated by later research. Machine cut and headed nails date from 1815 onwards, while wire nails date from 1819 onward. Historical archaeologists need to avoid the simplistic use of invention dates and patent dates and focus instead on the mass-production dates. There can be a significant amount of time between an invention and its first production, and even greater time until production figures are significantly high enough to affect the archaeological record. Usually wire nails are ascribed an 1850s beginning date, but that date is both too early and too late. While some wire nails were produced in 1819, no significant quantities were produced in the United States until the mid-1880s. Thus, we need to extend the manufacturing date back some 30 years with the caveat that the effective manufacturing date range begins in the 1880s. By examining production figures for wire nails, a model is generated for dating sites built of machine cut nails. This model is then examined using data from dozens of sites in the USA and Canada. Just as important, the model provides clues to recycling activity and access to different manufacturing sources.

The West Mouth of Niah Cave, Sarawak, contains one of the largest series of stratified prehistoric burials in Southeast Asia. Initial classification grouped up to 39 burials as ‘Mesolithic’ or pre-Neolithic (B. Harrisson 1967), including ‘flexed’, ‘seated’ and ‘mutilation’ burials, and subsequent radiocarbon dates on human bone produced a date range for these burials of 15,121-5659 cal. BC (Brooks et al. 1977; T. Harrisson 1975). However, due to the technical infancy in dating bone samples at that time, these dates are now generally discredited (Spriggs 1989). In light of renewed investigation of cave stratigraphy and new radiocarbon dates, this paper reviews the classification and date range of early Holocene burials at Niah Cave. The spatial and temporal patterning in burial practice at the site is discussed and compared to the regional data. It is proposed that the commencement of discrete burial in the early Holocene forms a horizon across the Indo-Malay Archipelago which reflects a broad cultural shift in the perception of dead and cultural attitudes to their appropriate treatment, one result of which was the creation of tangible ancestral identities. Early Holocene burial practice was varied both at a local and regional level, including primary as well as secondary burial. One widespread element is the use of fire, either represented as fully cremated remains or physically present within the grave structure itself.

Radiocarbon dates from material found in the Theran Volcanic Destruction Level are frequently said to require an earlier date for the event than the date range provided by the traditional chronology based on Near Eastern and Egyptian texts, archaeoastronomy, datable deposits of pumice from the eruption and numerous archaeological interconnections between Egypt, Cyprus and the Aegean. This paper considers a number of problems inherent in the proposed 14C dating.

The strengths and limitations of radiocarbon dating as applied to samples taken in and around the walled city center of Pagan, in Burma, are addressed. The last thousand years in mainland Southeast Asia remains a difficult period to date absolutely because of two critical issues. The first is the use of wood from long-lived species, such as teak, in archaeological contexts. The archaeologist dating such material must be aware of the significance of a date range that relates to the period when a tree was alive rather than to when the wood was actually used in the construction or reconstruction. The second issue stems from the character of the radiocarbon calibration curve for this time period. Several plateaux exist in the curve that seriously broaden the calendar age ranges deriving from uncalibrated high-precision dates. These effects are outlined using two areas sampled for radiocarbon dating at Pagan: the fortifications near the Tharaba Gate and a site within the old city walls, Inventory No. 1590, known as the palace.

A radiocarbon date range of 2,890 to 2,470 BC for an earthenware firing site at Halin in Upper Myanmar (Burma) puts a solid timeframe around an assemblage that includes incised and burnished wares, and a spout. While earthenware is often found associated with burials in this region (Pautreau 2007 ; Pautreau, Coupey et al. 2010), this site provides a rare glimpse of early earthenware pottery production. Initial finds call for some reappraisal of approaches to Myanmar’s material culture in the pre-metal and pre-urban periods.

The remains of a brick clamp were discovered at New Cross, London Borough of Lewisham, which were dated archaeomagnetically to 1690–1730. Following the excavation of this brick clamp, the remains of a similar and earlier clamp were exposed beneath it, and archaeomagnetic dating produced the same date range for the firing of this clamp. During the redevelopment of the site a watching brief was carried out and the remains of further clamps were identified. Pottery recovered from layers associated with one of these suggests a later date, c. 1730–1800. Documentary research and map regression work revealed a long history of brick and tile production at New Cross. The types of clamps excavated here fall in to the pattern emerging in the Netherlands and Britain. It is suggested that this production centre focused on a circumscribed market area in south-east London and north-west Kent.

Charcoal samples from the Early Epipalaeolithic submerged fisher-hunter-gatherers site of Ohalo II have been dated by three laboratories. The samples derive from huts, hearths, a grave and a stone installation. Twenty-five date range between 17,500-21,050 bp and average c. 19,400 bp . The thickness of deposits, the perishable building material (of the huts), the spatial organization of the camp and its rapid cover by sand and water suggest several occupational episodes, lasting not more than tens of years together. The discrepancy between the range of 14 C dates and the real length of occupation are due to the statistical limitations of the dating method.