LERNA - 2006

General Information

Record ID

2105

Activity Date

2006

Chronology

Bronze Age - Early Bronze Age - Middle Bronze Age

Key-words

Bone

Type of Operation

Study

Institution

University of Groningen/Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (University of Groningen)

Localisation

Toponym
Lerni

Linked Record

1995 1998 1999 2000 2004 20062006 (1)

Report

Lerna. The results of C¹⁴ analysis of human bone from Middle Helladic levels at Lerna are presented (Fig. 1). Analysis was conducted at Groningen by the AMS method as part of a large analytical programme covering Middle Helladic burials from different ceramic phases at sites across the Argolid. The aim of the programme is to establish a more precise and secure regional chronological sequence. The results suggest that the lower chronological boundary between EH III and MH I lies at 2100/2000 BC; the transition from MH I to MH II at ca. 1900 BC; the division between MH II and MH III cannot be set precisely due to the shape of the calibration curve during this period and the short duration of the phases in question – a tentative date of ca. 1800 BC is based upon a transition to LH dated at 1700 BC. This scheme supports the ‘high’ case in the debate between high and low chronologies.

Author

Catherine MORGAN

Bibliographic reference(s)

S. Voutsaki, A. Nijboer, and C. Zerner, ‘Radiocarbon analysis and Middle Helladic Lerna’, in A. Philippa-Touchais, G. Touchais, S. Voutsaki and J. Wright (eds), Mesohelladika (BCH supp. 52), Paris/Athens 2010, 641-647.