Sample: 236A, context 1093, submitted by M Allen on 16 March 1994
Material: antler, Cervus elaphus (D Serjeantson)
Initial comment: from the top of the fourth layer at the base of stonehole 1 (C2.1). This is a stonehole of the Sarsen Circle.
Objectives: to determine the chronological order of the settings within phase 3, and to determine the length of this phase and its chronological relationship with phase 2.
Calibrated date range: 2655-2485 cal BC (95% confidence)
Quality assurance measurements are available for this sample, along with details of the chemistry and measurement techniques.
OxA-4837 3995+/-60BP (-21.2 per mil)
Sample: 4849, context 1131, submitted by M Allen on 11 March 1994
Material: antler, Cervus elaphus (D Serjeantson)
Initial comment from stonehole E (one of a pair in the main entrance). An antler from this hole is described as having a `freak tine' in Hawley's Diary (27/5/1920), which can be identified as this sample, although the label states simply `deep hole near slaughter stone on bottom'.
Calibrated date range: 2860-2350 cal BC (95% confidence)
OxA-4838 3885+/-40BP (-23.9 per mil)
Sample: 4848, context 1131, submitted by M Allen on 11 March 1994
Material: antler, Cervus elaphus (D Serjeantson)
Initial comment from stonehole E (one of a pair in the main entrance). This was noted in Hawley's Diary (27/5/1920) where he states that the original stone was not in situ, but the original packing was probably still partly in place. The label states simply `deep hole near slaughter stone on bottom'.
Calibrated date range: 2490-2200 cal BC (95% confidence)
Archaeological comment (M Allen): stonehole was originally considered to be part of the phase 1 Monument on the basis of its location (Atkinson 1979), but these two radiocarbon results place it firmly within phase 3 and contemporary with the other stone settings.
OxA-4839 3860+/-40BP (-21.3 per mil)
Sample: S56.52, context 2452, submitted by M Allen on 11 March 1994
Material: antler crown, Cervus elaphus (D Serjeantson)
Initial comment: from `the ramp fill'. This is almost certainly the erection ramp from Trilithon 56, the uncertainty only being because there is not a continuous section between the stone and the ramp in the area from which the sample derived. It is reasonable to assume that they are the same feature.
Objectives: to determine the chronological order of the settings within phase 3, and to determine the length of this phase and its chronological relationship with phase 2.
Calibrated date range: 2470-2200 cal BC (95% confidence)
Archaeological comment (M Allen): this is comparable with the result from BM-46.
OxA-4840 3985+/-45BP (-23.4 per mil)
Sample: S64.21, context 2427, submitted by M Allen on 11 March 1994
Material: antler tine tip, Cervus elaphus (D Serjeantson)
Initial comment: from the `very bottom of stonehole' 53 or 54 (C56). These stones are the uprights of a single Trilithon and so obviously contemporary. Consequently the fact that the sample cannot be assigned to one of the two stoneholes does not compromise the usefulness of the result.
Objectives: to determine the chronological order of the settings within phase 3, and to determine the length of this phase and its chronological relationship with phase 2.
Calibrated date range: 2850-2400 cal BC (95% confidence)
Quality assurance measurements are available for these results from the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, in addition to further details of the chemistry and measurement techniques.
BM-46 3670+/-150BP
Sample: context 2449, submitted by S Piggott in 1958/9
Material: antler, Cervus elaphus
Initial comment from the base of the clean chalk filling of the erection ramp for stonehole 56, a part of a Sarsen Trilithon..
Calibrated date range: 2480-1680 cal BC (95% confidence)
Laboratory comment (Barker and Mackey 1960): the antler was heavily mineralised and was therefore milled to a coarse powder and extracted with cold 1% hydrochloric acid in order to remove carbonates. The organic fraction was largely unaffected by this treatment and was separated, washed with cold water, and dried.
Laboratory comment (J Ambers): this sample was gas counted c 1960 using Cambridge oak as a modern standard. The error term includes counting statistics plus +/-80 years for fractionation and +/-100 years for `de Vries effects'.
References: Piggott 1956; Barker and Mackey 1960
Sarsens