Sample: 4763, context 1912, submitted by M Allen on 11 March 1994
Material: shed antler tine, Cervus elaphus (D Serjeantson)
Initial comment: found lying on the bottom of the northern Avenue ditch, 8'4" from the Stonehenge terminal (C6), 2" below ground level.
Objectives: to determine if the Avenue beyond the elbow was constructed within phase 3, and whether this section of the feature is contemporary with the section closer to the Monument itself.
Calibrated date range: 2580-2300 cal BC (95% confidence)
Quality assurance measurements are available for OxA-4884.
BM-1164 3678+/-68BP (-23.7 per mil)
Sample: 4765, submitted by R Atkinson in 1974
Material: antler, Cervus elaphus
Initial comment: in the primary silt of the northern ditch at the Stonehenge terminal (C6).
Calibrated date range: 2290-1890 cal BC (95% confidence)
Archaeological comment (R Atkinson): this date agrees with that for another antler at the base of the southern ditch, 3720+/-100BP (HAR-2013), but not with dates from the middle and eastern end of the Avenue, 2750+/-100BP (I-3216) and 3020+/-180BP (BM-1079). It may be inferred that the Avenue is of two periods of construction (but see rejected results).
Laboratory comment (J Ambers): BM-1164 produced 29.2g of `collagen' (the protein fraction surviving cold acid treatment) from an inital 430g of antler; a fairly mediocre yield, but not really bad. Errors are quoted purely on counting statistics and so are probably underestimates, although it is not possible to calculate a correction.
References: Burleigh and Hewson 1979, 341-2; Atkinson et al 1976
OxA-4905 3865+/-40BP (-22.1 per mil)
Sample: 9716/Bp, context 9716, submitted by M Allen on 11 March 1994
Material: animal bone, Bos pelvis (D Serjeantson)
Initial comment: found lying on the bottom of the southern Avenue ditch, 0.9km from the Avon terminal (C86), beyond the elbow.
Objectives: to determine if the Avenue beyond the elbow was constructed within phase 3, and whether this section of the feature is contemporary with the section closer to the Monument itself.
Calibrated date range: 2470-2200 cal BC (95% confidence)
Quality assurance measurements are available for OxA-4905, in addition to further details of the chemistry and measurement techniques used in the analysis of both samples from the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit.
HAR-2013 3720+/-70BP (-23.6 per mil)
Sample: STAV1968, context 9718, submitted by F Vatcher on 9 November 1976
Material: antler pick
Initial comment: in the primary fill or on the bottom of the southern ditch to the north of the A344 (C83).
Calibrated date range: 2350-1930 cal BC (95% confidence)
Archaeological comment (F Vatcher): the date is comparable with that (BM-1164; 3678+/-68BP) derived from the west ditch; both indicate the date of construction of the initial, straight section of the Avenue.
References: Jordan et al 1994, 192; Pitts 1982
Comment on series (M Allen): the samples from the Avenue were selected to determine if the two lengths were contemporary. The evidence does not indicate that one section was built before the other.
The Avenue