Sediment mixing at Nonda Rock: investigations of stratigraphic integrity at an early archaeological site in northern Australia and implications for the human colonisation of the continent

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dc.contributor.authorDavid, B.
dc.contributor.authorRoberts, R.
dc.contributor.authorMagee, J.
dc.contributor.authorMialanes, J.
dc.contributor.authorTurney, C.
dc.contributor.authorBird, M.
dc.contributor.authorWhite, C.
dc.contributor.authorFifield, L.
dc.contributor.authorTibby, J.
dc.date.issued2007
dc.description.abstract<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Archaeological excavations in sediments dating to between 60 000 and 40 000 years ago are rare in Australia. Yet this is precisely the period in which most archaeologists consider that Aboriginal people arrived on the continent. In the few cases where such early sites have been investigated, questions have invariably been raised as to the reliability of stratigraphic associations between cultural items and the surrounding sediments. This paper describes a method for examining sediment mixing in a stratigraphic sequence using the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals from individual sand‐sized grains of quartz. We apply this method to the archaeological site of Nonda Rock (north Queensland), in combination with radiocarbon dating of charcoal fragments, to construct chronologies for human occupation and for the preceding, culturally sterile, deposits. Our age estimates have implications for the timing of first human arrival in Australia. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.</jats:p>
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityBruno David, Richard G. Roberts, John Magee, Jerome Mialanes, Chris Turney, Michael Bird, Chris White, L. Keith Fifield, John Tibby
dc.identifier.citationJournal of Quaternary Science, 2007; 22(5):449-479
dc.identifier.doi10.1002/jqs.1136
dc.identifier.issn0267-8179
dc.identifier.issn1099-1417
dc.identifier.orcidTibby, J. [0000-0002-5897-2932]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/44223
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherJohn Wiley & Sons Ltd
dc.relation.ispartofSpecial Issue: Quaternary Climatic, Environmental and Archaeological Change in Australasia / edited by C. S. M. Turney, J. D. Scourse, D. Rodbell, C. J. Caseldine
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.1136
dc.titleSediment mixing at Nonda Rock: investigations of stratigraphic integrity at an early archaeological site in northern Australia and implications for the human colonisation of the continent
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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