Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tree-ring Calibration of Radiocarbon Dates and the Chronology of Ancient Egypt

  • Article
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The historical calendar of Ancient Egypt is the only independent chronology for testing the bristlecone pine calibration of the radiocarbon time scale from 3000 to 1800 BC. Here a statistical approach is used to compare the functions relating the Egyptian historical dates to the corresponding radiocarbon dates and the bristlecone pine tree-ring dates to the corresponding radiocarbon dates, and it is concluded that the calibrated radiocarbon dates for Egypt do not differ significantly from the historical dates in the time period considered, although the errors associated with these preclude a precise comparison. The accord gives qualified support for both systems and invalidates some published objections to the use of a calibrated time scale in prehistoric archaeology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Suess, H. E., Proc. Symp. on Radioactive Dating and Methods of Low-Level Counting, Monaco, 1967, 143 (IAEA, Vienna, 1967).

  2. Damon, P. E., Long, A., and Grey, D. C., in Radiocarbon Variations and Absolute Chronology (edit. by Olsson, I. U.), 615 (John Wiley, New York, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ralph, E. K., and Michael, H. N., in Radiocarbon Variations and Absolute Chronology (edit. by Olsson, I. U.), 619 (John Wiley, New York, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ferguson, C. W., Tree-Ring Bulletin, 29, 3 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Suess, H. E., in Radiocarbon Variations and Absolute Chronology (edit. by Olsson, I. U.), Plate 1 (John Wiley, New York, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Barker, H., Nature, 231, 270 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Baxter, M. S., and Walton, A., Proc. Roy. Soc. London, A, 321, 105 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. McKerrell, H., Scottish Archaeological Forum, 3, 73 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Libby, W. F., Radiocarbon Dating, 10, Fig. 1 (Chicago University Press, 1949).

  10. Libby, W. F., Science, 140, 278 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Smith, H. S., Antiquity, 38, 32 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Suess, H. E., Zeit. f. Physik, 202, 1 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Renfrew, C., World Archaeology, 2, 199 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Vogel, J. C., Helinium, 9, 19 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Derricourt, R., J. Near Eastern Studies, 30, 271 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. McKerrell, H., Proc. Prehist. Soc., 38, 286 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Clark, R. M., and Renfrew, C., Archaeometry, 14, 5 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Houtermans, J. C., thesis, Univ. Berne (1971).

  19. Wendland, W. M., and Donley, D. L., Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 11, 135 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Berger, R., Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., A 269, 23 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Edwards, I. E. S., Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., A 269, 11 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Barker, H., Burleigh, R., and Meeks, N., Radiocarbon, 11, 281 (1969).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Suess, H. E., Antiquity, 44, 91 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Hayes, W. C., Rowton, M. B., and Stubbings, F. H., Cambridge Ancient History, 1, ch. 6 (1962).

  25. Pearson, E. S., and Hartley, H. O., Biometrika Tables for Statisticians (second ed.), 1 (1958).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  26. Michael, H. N., and Ralph, E. K., in Radiocarbon Variations and Absolute Chronology (edit. by Olsson, I. U.), 109 (Wiley, New York, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Säve-Söderbergh, T., and Olsson, I. U., in Radiocarbon Variations and Absolute Chronology (edit. by Olsson, I. U.), 35 (Wiley, New York, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Searle, S. R., Linear Models (Wiley, New York, 1971).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  29. Neustupný, E., in Radiocarbon Variations and Absolute Chronology (edit. by Olsson, I. U.), 23 (Wiley, New York, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hultin, E., Etnologiska Studier, 32, 185 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Probability and Statistics, University of Sheffield,

    R. M. CLARK

  2. Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton,

    C. RENFREW

Authors
  1. R. M. CLARK
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. RENFREW
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CLARK, R., RENFREW, C. Tree-ring Calibration of Radiocarbon Dates and the Chronology of Ancient Egypt. Nature 243, 266–270 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/243266a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/243266a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation