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Radiocarbon dates from Fazzan, southern Libya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2015

David Mattingly ,
David Edwards  and
John Dore
David Mattingly
Affiliation:
School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester
David Edwards
Affiliation:
School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester
John Dore
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
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Abstract

This short paper presents a full list of the currently available radiocarbon dates from the work of Charles Daniels in the 1960s-1970s and the Fazzan Project (1997-2001). The dates can be grouped into several categories, by site or area, and demonstrate the potential of radiocarbon dating being applied to historic-period archaeology in the Sahara. This complements earlier Italian work on later prehistory. One of the most important conclusions to emerge is that the construction of castle-like buildings in Fazzan began within the Garamantian period and that some of the numerous well-preserved mudbrick fortified sites are thus rather earlier than has previously been envisaged. A second important conclusion is that the use of AMS dating can help to identify and confirm activity of the post-Garamantian and early Islamic phases, which has hitherto been elusive.

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Type
Articles
Information
Libyan Studies , Volume 33 , 2002 , pp. 9 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Libyan Studies 2002

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