ESR dating of tooth enamel in Mousterian Layer 20, El Castillo, Spain

Jonathan J. Liberda, McMaster University
Jeroen W. Thompson, McMaster University
W. Jack Rink, McMaster University
Frederico Bernalso de Quirós, Universidad de Leon
Rohit Jayaraman, McMaster University
Kailash Selvaretinam, McMaster University
Kerry Chancellor-Maddison, McMaster University
Vito Volterra, McMaster University

Abstract

Nine faunal teeth from Layer 20 of El Castillo cave in Cantabrian Spain were dated using electron spin resonance (ESR). Two teeth were rejected due to inconsistent sub-sample ages, while the remaining teeth yielded a mean age that is consistent with the stratigraphic expectations: 42.7±3.5. Uncertainty in the external γ dose rate results in a potential systematic uncertainty of ±6.4 ka that should affect all samples equally. The results provide independent confirmation of previously-reported 14C ages for Layer 20.