Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Radiocarbon Dating of Temper in Shell-Tempered Ceramics: Test Cases from Mississippi, Southeastern United States

Direct dating of artifacts is preferable to dating via association in most archaeological situations. In this article we describe and discuss the first application of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to directly date temper particles in shell-tempered pottery. This method can be applied to ceramics from around the world that are tempered with freshwater or marine shell. To assess the method, we examine 34 new or previously reported dates (AMS dates on shell temper, paired luminescence dates from the same ceramics, and associated radiocarbon dates on other biotic materials) from seven sites in a variety of geological settings in the state of Mississippi. The results show that a freshwater reservoir effect is present in most cases. Other potential complicating factors include variable carbon input and metabolic uptake rates over space and time and the effects of burning during temper preparation or pottery firing. Despite these problems, the method holds promise for dating surface materials, museum specimens, and burial accompaniments; for investigating settlement patterns; and for other areas of research.