Abstract:

There is an interesting parallel between the history of radiocarbon dating and the emerging story of lead isotope analysis. Initial euphoria soon gave way to feelings of profound scepticism, distrust and a sense of vindication on the part of more traditional humanistic archaeologists who found in the growing ambiguity over radiocarbon results a confirmation of their basic position that science had no significant role to play in the interpretation of archaeological evidence. The paper by Budd et al. demonstrates all too clearly that the world of archaeometry learned nothing from the checkered history of radiocarbon dating. All the mistakes made in trying to use radiocarbon dates during the 1950s and the 1960s have been repeated in the lead isotope literature published during the 1970s and the 1980s. In both cases field archaeologists have found themselves the willing victims of untoward scientific haste that, in turn, often derived from all too real feelings of scientific arrogance.

Author: J.D. Muhly