Abstract

“Collating and analysing large radiocarbon datasets is fast becoming a near routine archaeological procedure, used to assess both chronologies and population history. Such “methodological democratisation” largely results from the availability of off-the-shelf software solutions such as Oxcal and rcarbon. Unfortunately, this ease of use often goes with limited understanding of the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of the techniques, thus resulting in a literature of very uneven quality. At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old scholar, this poor state of affairs suggests that, while coding might be increasingly easier, thinking like an archaeologist remains tricky!

This openly controversial position will be discussed through the presentation of the use – and potential pitfalls – of radiocarbon datasets of varied sizes and scales for both the late Pleistocene and early Holocene of the Adriatic basin. Aside from a – healthy? – dose of methodological skepticism, this contribution will aim at showing how well curated and analysed radiocarbon datasets can provide a sound, robust platform for revisiting other categories of evidence and themes (i.e. to say something about the past)”

This talk will be held in person but you are welcome to join online. To join us online, register here: https://cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtcOihpzspGdeh2u7GOQl1P8JjtkZmpi7T#/registration

All welcome!