| Title |
High Precision U/Th Dating of First Polynesian Settlement
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
PLOS ONE, November 2012
|
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0048769 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
David Burley, Marshall I. Weisler, Jian-xin Zhao |
| Abstract |
Previous studies document Nukuleka in the Kingdom of Tonga as a founder colony for first settlement of Polynesia by Lapita peoples. A limited number of radiocarbon dates are one line of evidence supporting this claim, but they cannot precisely establish when this event occurred, nor can they afford a detailed chronology for sequent occupation. High precision U/Th dates of Acropora coral files (abraders) from Nukuleka give unprecedented resolution, identifying the founder event by 2838±8 BP and documenting site development over the ensuing 250 years. The potential for dating error due to post depositional diagenetic alteration of ancient corals at Nukuleka also is addressed through sample preparation protocols and paired dates on spatially separated samples for individual specimens. Acropora coral files are widely distributed in Lapita sites across Oceania. U/Th dating of these artifacts provides unparalleled opportunities for greater precision and insight into the speed and timing of this final chapter in human settlement of the globe. |
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Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 1 | 17% |
| Mexico | 1 | 17% |
| Canada | 1 | 17% |
| United States | 1 | 17% |
| Unknown | 2 | 33% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 5 | 83% |
| Scientists | 1 | 17% |
Mendeley readers
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Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 1 | 2% |
| Spain | 1 | 2% |
| France | 1 | 2% |
| Unknown | 52 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 11 | 20% |
| Researcher | 10 | 18% |
| Student > Master | 6 | 11% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 5 | 9% |
| Student > Bachelor | 5 | 9% |
| Other | 12 | 22% |
| Unknown | 6 | 11% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences | 14 | 25% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 7 | 13% |
| Arts and Humanities | 6 | 11% |
| Earth and Planetary Sciences | 6 | 11% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 4 | 7% |
| Other | 10 | 18% |
| Unknown | 8 | 15% |