INFRARED STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE DATING OF ARCHAEOSEDIMENTS

In this study the feasibility of infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) for dating loessic colluvial sediments, deposited as a result of human activity, is investigated. It is demonstrated that the ‘IRSL-clock’is reset after a few minutes of daylight exposure even under foggy weather conditions. Samples of independently known age were taken at the Neolithic Bruchsal Aue site in south-west Germany. Different laboratory procedures are tried and a method is suggested (narrow wave-length band in the blue, preheat at 220° C for 5 min) to overcome age underestimates. This laboratory technique yielded archaeologically reasonable ages for colluvial sediments and hollow fillings. The IRSL-ages demonstrate that the deposition of the colluvia is related to soil erosion triggered by human activities, such as wood clearing and agriculture. The successful dating of archaeosediments has a great potential for applications in environmental archaeology as well as in geomorphology and in particular for the reconstruction of man-landscape interactions in central Europe.

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