IDENTIFICATION OF CHARCOAL FROM THE NORTH CREEK SHELTER, SITE 42GA5863, IN THE ESCALANTE VALLEY, UTAH

Three charcoal samples were examined from the North Creek Shelter, site 42GA5863,
in the Escalante Valley of south-central Utah. These samples were submitted for identification
prior to radiocarbon analysis to select the best material to send for dating. The identification of
specific material to be dated is particularly advantageous and allows the researcher to know
precisely what material is submitted for radiocarbon dating. More accurate ages can be
obtained by submitting only specific types of charcoal or other charred plant material for dating.
It is preferential to date a local species rather than a foreign one, to date a single species rather
than a mixture of several types, and to date the plant type with the shortest life span, such as
dating charcoal from a shorter-lived shrub rather than a longer-lived tree. Charcoal samples
selected for radiocarbon dating were submitted to Beta Analytic, Inc.

本次研究对犹他州中南部埃斯卡兰特谷内遗址编号42GA5863的北溪庇护所（North Creek Shelter）出土的3份炭样开展了检测。为筛选适用于放射性碳测年的最优材料，这批炭样在放射性碳分析前已送检鉴定。对目标测年的特定材料进行鉴定具有显著优势，可使研究者精准明确送检开展放射性碳测年的材料类型。仅送检特定种类的木炭或其他炭化植物材料进行测年，可获得更为精准的年代数据。优先选择本地物种而非外来物种、单一物种而非多种混合物种，以及寿命最短的植物类型开展测年——例如选取寿命较短的灌木炭屑而非寿命更长的乔木炭屑进行测年。经筛选用于放射性碳测年的炭样已提交至Beta Analytic, Inc.