Late Neolithic Subsistence Strategy and Reservoir Effects in 14C Dating of Artifacts at the Pile-Dwelling Site Serteya II (NW Russia)

Abstract

Radiocarbon dating and research into offset correction for freshwater reservoir effect were conducted at the pile-dwelling site Serteya II, located in the Dvina-Lovat' basin (northwestern Russia). Cultural layers of this site are situated underwater, hence the unique state of preservation of material culture of the 3rd millennium cal BC. 14C dating of different organic materials [wood, hazelnut (Corylus avellana), and elk bones] from this site allows their ages to be correlated and 14C age offsets caused by freshwater reservoir effects (hardwater effects) in the dating of materials such as organic crust, pottery, bones, and lake sediments to be estimated. Consideration of the late Neolithic subsistence strategy underpinning the archaeological finds from this site and analysis of lipid components in ceramic vessels, as well as the determination of 14C activity of modern aquatic and terrestrial samples, allows us to calculate the local freshwater reservoir effect and 14C age offset for charred food crusts from different ceramic vessels more precisely.