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Lab number
GSC-834
Field number
CMC- 124
Material dated
charcoal; charbon de bois
Locality
on the property of Mr. Stanley Curtis, Back Harbour, Twillingate, Newfoundland
Map sheet
2 E/10
Submitter
D. MacLeod
Date submitted
July 6, 0097
Measured Age
3720 ± 130
Normalized Age
3720 ± 130
δ13C (per mil)
-25.0
Significance
Archaic; Archaïque
Context
trench A3, stratum 4A, on top of ochre, 94-100 cm depth
Comments
DjAq-1, Curtis: The site is an Archaic red ochre burial ground containing a rich deposit of stone artifacts, including an unusually high proportion of exquisite ground slate pieces. The burials were deep interments, 90-150 cm below ground surface, and seem to have been cremations. The charcoal samples all come from the grave intrusions and were either in association with or directly mixed in the red ochre deposits in the graves. Thus the charcoal may be related either to the cremation of human remains or to the manufacture of red ochre, or both. The surrounding soil is probably highly acidic. MacLeod comments that all of the dates are acceptable except for GaK-1266 which is too old and may be the result of a small sample size. He also notes that GaK-1266 is less definitely associated with the burials than are the other samples. Excavation subsequent to sample submission indicates that the burials were probably not cremations, but that small ceremonial fires were lit in the graves.

References