C14 Radiocarbon Dating - Sample - OxA-16484

A cattle left radius from the organic basal ditch fill 4. Replaces OxA-9764 (Sheridan 2006, 202-3). The new date does not form a satisfactory group with OxA-16482, OxA-16483 and OxA-16485 for other pieces of bone from the basal fills (Chi- squared = 9.62 against a rejection maximum of 7.8). It is (just, agreement 66.8) compatible with the next oldest date OxA-16485. Curiously it is similar to a date from the central hearth-shaped feature for a burnt sheep long bone (OxA-18037 4305+/-35; Sheridan 2007, 225) so it is not clear whether the date should be regarded as a statistically unlikely fluctuation in measurement not to be used in isolation from the other dates from the ditch or whether the sample should be regarded as having a different taphonomy from the others.

Canmore ID 2105

Map Number HY31SW

Site type Henge (Neolithic) - (Bronze Age), Stone Circle (Neolithic) - (Bronze Age)

Site number 2

NGR 330670 1012520

Council 330

County 22

Parish STENNESS

Lab Analysis ID OxA-16484

Material Dated bone, animal (bos)

Sponsor HS

Uncalibrated date bp +/- error 4346 bp +/-39

Uncalibrated date ad/bc +/- error 2396 bc +/-39

Calibration program used No

Calibration curve used No