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Bone dating

Waikato's Radiocarbon Dating Research

Excavations at Teouma, Vanuatu (Photo courtesy Dr. Stuart Bedford, Australian National University)

Bone is one of the most complicated materials to date reliably. Associate Professor Fiona Petchey's research into this material has highlighted the importance of correctly evaluating the preservation state prior to dating using a range of quality assurance data, and the importance of dietary evaluation to assess the impact of marine, reef and/or terrestrial foods on the calendar age interpretation.

Selected publications:

  • Littleton J, F Petchey, K Walshe, FD Pate, 2017. A preliminary re-dating of the Holocene Roonka burials, south-eastern Australia. Archaeology in Oceania, 52(2):98-107.
  • Petchey, F, M Spriggs, S Bedford, F Valentin, 2015. The chronology of occupation at Teouma, Vanuatu: Use of a modified chronometric hygiene protocol and Bayesian modeling to evaluate midden remains. Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports, 4:95-105.
  • Petchey, F, M Spriggs, S Bedford, F Valentin, H Buckley, 2014. Radiocarbon dating of burials from the Teouma Lapita cemetery, Efate, Vanuatu. Journal of Archaeological Science, 50:227-242.
  • Carvalho, AF, F Petchey, 2013. Stable isotope evidence of Neolithic Palaeodiets in the coastal regions of southern Portugal. Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 8:361-383.
  • Clark, G, F Petchey, S Hawkins, C Reepmeyer, I Smith, WB Masse, 2013. Distribution and extirpation of pigs in Pacific Islands: a case study from Palau. Archaeology in Oceania. doi: 10.1002/arco.5012
  • Petchey F, M Spriggs, F Leach, M Seed, C Sand, M Pietrusewsky, K Anderson, 2011. Testing the human factor: Radiocarbon dating the first peoples of the South Pacific. Journal of Archaeological Science, 38:29-44.
  • Petchey, F, TFG Higham, 2000. Bone diagenesis and radiocarbon dating of fish bone at the Shag River Mouth site, New Zealand. Journal of Archaeological Science, 27:135-150.
  • Petchey, F, 1999. New Zealand Bone Dating Revisited: A radiocarbon discard protocol for bone. New Zealand Journal of Archaeology, (1997):81-124.