We report results from AMS radiocarbon measurements (Delta-14C) in corals recovered off the coast of Kenya. Bimonthly samples which span the pre-bomb era average -51 per mil (+/3.7; n=43), when age and Suess effect are corrected, and over the time of interest (1946-1954) do not exhibit any discernible seasonality. Relative to regional pre-bomb Delta-14C values in the western Indian Ocean, our results indicate 14C enrichment off the coast of Kenya. Furthermore, the absence of a distinct subannual Delta-14C signal suggests that open and coastal upwelling is negligible off the coast of Kenya. Unlike pre-bomb values south of the equator near Seychelles and Madagascar, our pre-bomb value are enriched by more than 10 per mil. The enrichment of pre-bomb Kenyan Delta-14C values relative to sites around Mauritius, northern Madagascar and Seychelles, suggest that the influence of depleted Delta-14C water transported in the SEC is limited to regions south of 3 to 4 degrees S.

This paper reports on the first chronological assessment of the Jewish Catacombs of the ancient Rome performed by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating of small-size charcoal fragments scattered in the mortar used for sealing off the graves in the Villa Torlonia Catacomb complex. The significance of the obtained 14C readings has been carefully evaluated by taing into consideration the known technologies of quicklime production during Roman and recent times. The new data are of great concern for providing evidence that the Jewish catacombs were used for burial since the first century AD, thus some two centuries prior to the period traditionally believed to be the starting point of burial in the Jewish catacombs of ancient Rome. Such a significant aging of the Jewish catacombs could result in a deep re-examination of the current understanding of the beginning and the evolution of the custom of catacomb burial in both Jewish and early Christian communities in Rome.

Fewer than 20 radiocarbon dates have been obtained from Paleolithic sites on the Korean Peninsula. It is still unknown how and when Korean Middle Paleolithic stone industries developed, despite the handful of dates older than 40,000 BP obtained from some sites. A lower boundary for the Korean Upper Paleolithic of approximately 30,000 BP can be inferred from the few dates associated with stone blade industries. 14C dates associated with microlithic industries of 24,000 BP are considered too old in light of evidence from other areas of East Asia. Most such assemblages are post-Last Glacial Maximum in age. Improved understanding of the Korean Paleolithic sequence will depend ultimately on the further accumulation of 14C dates, as well as the application of alternative dating techniques and attention to the reconstruction of site formation process.

This study presents the results of carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyses of six human skeletons excavated from the Tochibara rockshelter (Nagano, Japan). The human skeletons were reported to be accompanied by "Oshigata-mon" type pottery dating to the Earliest Jomon period (8900 BP approximately 6600 BP). A radiocarbon determination from charcoal associated with the human remains was reported to be 8650 +/180 BP (GaK-1056). However, the depositional context of human skeletons was uncertain because they were recovered by excavations that were dug by prescribed levels. Our results indicated that these skeletons date to the Earliest Jomon period; the 14C determinations place these remains between 8260 +/100 BP (TERRA-b030799ab38) and 8580 +/100 BP (TERRA-b011300a35). This coincides with the archaeological evidence that these specimens are some of the oldest Jomon skeletal materials. Furthermore, delta-13C and delta-15N values provide evidence for the first reconstruction of the diet of an inland Earliest Jomon population. Although the distribution of data indicated a possibility that they had exploited small amounts of seafood, the isotopic data point to this group having relied heavily on a terrestrial ecosystem based on C3 plants.

This paper addresses the absolute chronology of the earlier Yunatsite and Ezero cultures in Upper Thrace (South Bulgaria), from Early Bronze I and the beginning of Early Bronze II. The two newly obtained radiocarbon dates from Early Bronze Dubene-Sarovka (the Upper Stryama Valley) are published and discussed in a detailed stratigraphic and comparative Early Bronze I-Early Bronze II context. Date Bln-5233 (3490-3120 cal BC) is the first 14C date from the Upper Maritsa valley from Early Bronze I with well-defined stratigraphic context and values earlier than 3100 BC. This date adds new arguments to the discussion of the 14C dates from Yunatsite 15 and Plovdiv-Nebet Tepe, and addresses the question of the comparative chronology of Yunatsite I and Ezero I cultures from the late fourth millennium BC. The sample of the date Bln-5231 (2870-2620 cal BC) comes from a level on the border between Early Bronze I and Early Bronze II. On one hand, its values preceded the values of the earlier-obtained 14C dates from IIB layer and confirmed the stratigraphic sequence at Dubene-Sarovka tell. On the other hand, the calibrated values seem to be later than the vast comparative chronology of the end of the Dubene IIA-the beginning of Dubene IIB (ca. 3000 BC). Similar problems occur with dates from Yunatsite and Ezero. The published new dates from Dubene-Sarovka are part of the project on complex elaborating of the Early Bronze absolute chronology in the Balkans, and especially on contextual analysis of the 14C dates.

We have observed Delta-14C concentrations in the northern hemisphere temperate region in the bomb pulse period, using cross-dated tree ring samples. The tree-ring samples were taken from one 70-year-old and two 50-year-old red pines (Pinus densiflora) on Mt Chiak, Korea and from a 50-year-old red pine (Pinus densiflora) on Mt Kyeryong, Korea. Twenty-two tree-ring samples from four red pines ranging from 1950 to 2000 AD were pretreated to obtain holo-cellulose, combusted to CO2 by an element analyzer (EA) and converted to graphite for Delta-14C measurement using the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) facility at Seoul National University. Our results for Delta-14C showed good agreement with those measured by other researchers at similar latitudes. The observed steady decrease of Delta-14C from 1965 to 2000 AD is described by a single exponential function with a lifetime tau = 15.99 +/0.43 yr. This lifetime is similar to that of the high-latitude region in Europe.