Appendix II: 14 C-dating

Appendix II:

14C-datings

In the Settlement Archaeological Research and Collaboration Project (SARCP) a considerable part of the budget has been set aside for radio-carbon dating. During 1991 and 1992, 39 samples of presumed organic matter from various excavations within the SARCP framework were sent to the Svedberg Laboratory at Uppsala University, Sweden, for tandem accelerator dating. Of these 39, four samples contained too little organic matter to be datable. The datings were carried out by Goran Possnert and his staff.

Preparatory treatment of the samples is as follows: 1. Visible roots are extracted. 2.1% HC1 is added (6-8 hours, below boiling point) to take out the carbonate. 3.1% NaOH is added (6-8 hours, below boiling point). Dissolvable fraction is precipitated by adding concentrated HC1. The precipitate, of

which a major part consists of humus material, is washed, dried and named fraction SOL. The insoluble part of the sample, named fraction INS, consists mainly of the original organic material. This fraction therefore gives the most relevant age. The fraction SOL, on the other hand, gives information on the influence of possible contamination. Before the accelerator analysis of the 14C-content, the dried material is combusted to CO2 gas, which in its turn is con￾verted into solid graphite through a Fe-catalytic reaction. It is the fraction INS that is dated, and a correction equivalent to 13C = 25% against PDB is carried out (as informed by The Svedberg Laboratory).

The dates were later calibrated at the Swedish Central Board of National Antiquities, Uppsala office, using CalibETH 1.5b (1991), a program for calibration developed at the Institute for Intermediate Energy Physics, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland.

In this overview of dates, only the laboratory number (Ua), the context number (Con), the sample number, the un￾calibrated dates BP (Uncal), the calibrated age BC/AD (Cal), the calibrated age ranges from cumulative probability, one (Cuml) sigma (68.26 %) and two (Cum2) sigma (95.44 %) and, where relevant, the calibrated age ranges from probability density, one sigma (Deni) are given under each separate excavation. The laboratory reports and the full calibration data are available at the PGIAR Archive, Colombo.

Aligala:

Ua 5502 Con 8 Sample 5

Uncal: 2745 ± 75 BP

Cal: 924 ± 78 BC

Cuml: 998-848 BC

Cum2: 1120-812 BC

Deni: 985-955 BC (18.2 %)

944-829 BC (81.8 %)

Ua 5503> Con 24 Sample 19

Uncal: 4645 ± 75 BP

Cal: 3408 ± 126 BC

Cuml: 3516-3270 BC

Cum2: 3617-3126 BC

Deni: 3606-3585 BC (7.0 %)

3519-3341 BC (93.0%)

Ua 5504 Con 24 Sample 13

Uncal: 3780 ± 75 BP

Cal: 2226 ± 117 BC

Cuml: 2362-2119 BC

Cum2: 2452-2006 BC

Deni: 2346-2132 BC (92.8 %)

2070-2047 BC ( 7.2 %)

Dehigaha-ala-kanda:

Ua 5215 Con 11 (90)

Uncal: 1950 ± 80 BP

Cal: 40 ± 97 AD

Cuml: 58 BC -131 AD

Cum2: 157 BC - 227 AD

Ua 5216 Con 3 (90)

Uncal: 1930 ± 70 BP

Cal: 66 ± 84 AD

Cuml: 20 BC -150 AD

Cum2: 99 BC - 228 AD

Ua 5217 Con 2 (90)

Uncal: 1790 ± 70 BP

Cal: 231 ±84 AD

Cuml: 143-321 AD

Cum2: 77-390 AD

Deni: 132-262 AD (76.7 %)

286-329 AD (23.3 %)

Ua 5218 Con (furnace) 6B (90)

Uncal: 1790 ± 70 BP

Cal: 231 ±84 AD

Cum1: 143-321 AD Deni: 404-338 BC (38.4 %)

Cum2: 77-390 AD 324-203 BC (61.6 %)

Deni: 132-262 AD (76.7 %)

286-329 AD (23.3 %)

Ua 5509 Con (furnace) 27 (91) Sample 38

Uncal: 2060 ± 65 BP

Cal: 94 ± 91 BC

Cuml: 172- 8 BC

Cum2: 334 BC - 61 AD

Ua 5510 Con 67:0,6 (M2:91) Sample 39

Uncal: 1935 ± 75 BP

Cal: 60 ± 90 AD

Cuml: 32 BC -149 AD

Cum2: 116 BC-232 AD

Ua 5511 Con 72:1,45 (M2:91) Sample 40

Uncal: 1785 ± 75 BP

Cal: 237 ± 89 AD

Cuml: 143-329 AD

Cum2: 71-401 AD

Deni: 134-265 AD (72.5 %)

281-333 AD (27.5 %)

Ibbankatuva-Polvatta:

Ua 5564 Con 5 Sample 7

Uncal: 1645 ± 60 BP

Cal: 396 ± 69 AD

Cuml: 311-483 AD

Cum2: 252-542 AD

Deni: 262-286 AD (11.1 %)

330-453 AD (84.4 %)

487-498 AD (4.5 %)

Ua 5565 Con 16 Sample 28

Uncal: 1605 ± 80 BP

Cal: 442 ± 92 AD

Cuml: 347-534 AD

Cum2: 252-603 AD

Deni: 349-358 AD ( 3.9 %)

374-547 AD (96.1 %)

Ua 5566 Con 28 Sample 91

Uncal: 2275 ± 80 BP

Cal: 338 ± 126 BC

Cuml: 436-226 BC

Cum2: 721-137 BC

Den: 404-338 BC (38.4.%)

324-203 BC (61.6%)

Mapagala: Ua 5219 Con 7

Uncal 1730±70BP

Cal: 296 ± 83 AD

Cuml: 211-378 AD

Cum2: 130-458 AD

Ua 5220 Con 9

Uncal: 1630 ± 80 BP

Cal: 413 ± 96 AD

Cuml: 306-514 AD

Cum2: 226-588 AD

Deni: 269-271 AD (1.2 %)

339-534 AD (98.8 %)

Ua 5221 Con 5

Uncal: 1750 ± 70 BP

Cal: 2755 ± 84 AD

Cuml: 180-361 AD

Cum2: 111-421 AD

Deni: 151-152 AD (0.8%)

212-385 AD (99.2 %)

Ua 5222 Con 3

Uncal: 17207 ± 0 BP

Cal: 307 ± 83 AD

Cuml: 226-387 AD

Cum2: 137-483 AD

Ua 5501 Con 38

Uncal: 1565 ± 55 BP

Cal: 491 ± 59 AD

Cuml: 432-550 AD

CUM2: 368-601 AD

Sigiri-Potana:

Ua 5685 Con 3 Sample 1A

Uncal: 4995 ± 60 BP

Cal: 3819 ± 82 BC

Cuml: 3913-3727 BC

Cum2: 3955-3676 BC

Deni: 3935-3872 BC (40.0 %)

3817-3774 BC (29.1 %)

3753-3705 BC (30.9 %)

Ua 5686 Con 3 Sample IB

Uncal: 4985 ± 85 BP

Cal: 3804 ± 99 BC

Cuml: 3916-3709 BC

Cum2: 3971-3583 BC

Deni: 3938-3865 BC (36.5 ‘

3818-3699 BC (63.5 %)

Sigiri Mahavava:

Ua 1934 Con 16

Uncal: 2260 ± 100 BP

Cal: 331 ± 151 BC

Cuml: 464-201 BC

Cum2: 731-81 BC

Sigirivava:

Ua 5562 Lay 9 Sample 6

Uncal: 1850 ± 90 BP

Cal: 164 ± 106 AD

Cuml: 59-275 AD

Cum2: 55-373 AD

Deni: 57-254 AD (95.7 %)

303-316 AD (4.3%)

Ua 5563 Lay 7 Sample 7

Uncal: 1510 ±60 BP

Cal: 534 ± 61 AD

Cuml: 463-598 AD

Cum2: 421-639 AD

Talkote Pansalvatta SO. 10:

Ua 1939 Tp 1 Con 3

Uncal: 1010 ± 90 BP

Cal: 1026 ± 100 AD

Cuml: 924-1134 AD

Cum2: 812-1211 AD

Deni: 899-910AD (4.4%)

948-1065 AD (62.8 %)

1074-1127 AD (22.8%)

1134-1157 AD (9.9%)

Tammannagala:

Ua 5505 Con 8 Sample 11

Uncal: 1170 ±70 BP

Cal: 850 ± 79 AD

Cuml: 767-937 AD

Cum2: 691-989 AD

Deni: 781-900 AD (75.0%)

904-952 AD (25.0%)

Ua 5506 Con 27 Sample 29

Uncal: 1730 ± 65 BP

Cal: 297 ± 78 AD

Cuml: 219-374 AD

Cum2: 137-434 AD

Ua 5507 Con 1 Lev 1 Sample 3

Uncal: 1500 ± 65 BP

Cal: 541 ± 64 AD

Cuml: 466-607 AD

Cum2: 421-646 AD

Deni: 457-483 AD (15.5 %)

509-624 AD (84.5%)

Ua 5508 Con 30 Sample 39

Uncal: 1565 ± 70 BP

Cal: 486 ± 74 AD

Cuml: 417-561 AD

Cum2: 315-619 AD