Charcoal Identification Prior to Radiocarbon Dating

Charcoal is commonly submitted to us for identification prior to being sent on to a radiocarbon lab for radiocarbon analysis. Separation and identification of charcoal for radiocarbon analysis is currently being used in several other fields of study, including paleoflood studies, paleoseismology, and paleoclimatology. Charcoal and other charred organic remains that have been identified prior to submission for radiocarbon dating are the best materials to date, and are far superior to bulk soil sample.

(See POSTED PAPERS for "Dating Bulk Soil vs. Identified Organics at Archaeological Sites").