Direct ESR dating of a Pliocene hominin from Swartkrans

Journal of Human Evolution
D CurnoeF Thackeray

Abstract

Two fragments of a hominin tooth (Australopithecus robustus) and two bovid teeth from the Hanging Remnant of the Swartkrans Formation were analysed with ESR. Research was complicated by the fact that the samples came from a curated collection and their precise provenance is unknown. The environmental dose rate was reconstructed by a series of in situ gamma spectrometric measurements and elemental analyses of a range of sediment samples. U-series isotopic analyses indicated that each of the teeth had a significantly different uranium uptake history, rendering the assumptive early U-uptake and linear U-uptake models ineffective. ESR and U-series data were combined to calculate open system ages, resulting in a best estimate of 1630+/-160 ka for the Hanging Remnant. An open-system model which provides the maximum age for given U-series and ESR measurements yielded an estimate of about 2100 ka. Two bovid teeth from Member 2, previously estimated to be between 1.0 and 2.0 Ma, yielded age estimates of between about 100 and 200 ka. No known geochemical processes are likely to explain this severe age underestimation. We conclude that these samples are of Middle to Upper Pleistocene age and their presence in Member 2 was either due to re...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jun 23, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Yohannes Haile-SelassieC Owen Lovejoy
Aug 6, 2013·Journal of Human Evolution·Andy I R Herries, Justin W Adams
Aug 21, 2012·Journal of Human Evolution·Frederick E GrineJ Michael Plavcan
Oct 1, 2008·Journal of Human Evolution·Darryl J de RuiterJulia A Lee-Thorp
Jun 22, 2015·Journal of Human Evolution·Frederick E GrineCharles K Brain
Nov 6, 2009·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Richard WranghamEsteban Sarmiento
Nov 18, 2009·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Christopher C Gilbert, Frederick E Grine
Jun 23, 2005·Journal of Human Evolution·Rainer GrünMalcolm McCulloch
Mar 31, 2015·Journal of Human Evolution·Manuel Will, Jay T Stock
May 21, 2016·Frontiers in Neuroscience·Alianda M CornélioMarcos R Costa
Sep 19, 2002·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Lee R BergerDarryl J De Ruiter
Jan 21, 2006·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Darryl J de RuiterLee R Berger
Sep 10, 2019·Journal of Human Evolution·Marine CazenaveRoberto Macchiarelli

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