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Weathering of petroglyphs: direct assessment and implications for dating methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Gregory A. Pope
Gregory A. Pope*
Affiliation:
Department of Earth & Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair NJ 07043, USA
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Extract

Petroglyphs weather at varying rates, compared tothe unengraved host rock into which they are carved. Most petroglyphs are significantly harder or significantly softer than surrounding rock, depending on the nature of weathering. Variability and intensity of weathering probably introduces error into radiocarbon, rock varnis and micreoerosion dating methods.

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Antiquity , Volume 74 , Issue 286 , December 2000, pp. 833 - 843
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Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2000

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