RADIOCARBON, ESR AND THERMOLUMINESCENCE (TL) DATING OF ARCHEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS IN AZERBAIJAN

Abstract

This study sought to enhance the precision of C-14, ESR and TL dating of archaeological mo- numents in Azerbaijan. The charcoal samples was collected from various sites (Polutepe, Shomute- pe, Goytepe, Pahsatepe, Boyukdash-Anazaga, Burugtepe, Alkhantepe, Gebele-Selbir, Uzun Reme ) for C-14 measurements. The counting vial was transferred into the liquid scintillation analyzer Tri- Carb 3100TR and allowed to count for a period of 300 to 1000 minutes depending on the size, age, and precision requirements. As a scintillation solution, 1 ml of commercially available SIGMA- ALDRICH liquid scintillation mixture PPO/POPOP in toluene was added. In this study the Radio- carbon dating method was used to date the age of charcoal samples from the archeological monu- ments in Azerbaijan. Calibration results was calculated with 68% and 95% probability (0=1950). Teeth and pottery samples were collected from the following archaeological sites: Jalilabad Polutepe, Fuzuli Leletepe, Ismayil beytepe, Agstafa-Hesensu, Berde-Emirli-3, Jalilabad-Pashatepe, Gobustan-Anazaga, Gobustan-Boyukdash, Gobustan-Kichikdash, Jalilabad-Khudutepe, Chukur-Gebele, Mingechevir, Jalilabad-Elikomektepe, Gebele-Galayeri, and Yardimli-Arvana. The ESR and TL methods were employed to ascertain the age of the samples obtained from the aforementioned sites.