Dating human occupation at Toca do Serrote das Moendas, São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí-Brasil by electron spin resonance and optically stimulated luminescence

Angela Kinoshita; Anne R Skinner; Niede Guidon; Elaine Ignacio; Gisele Daltrini Felice; Cristiane de A Buco; Sonia Tatumi; Márcio Yee; Ana Maria Graciano Figueiredo; Oswaldo Baffa

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.09.006

Dating human occupation at Toca do Serrote das Moendas, São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí-Brasil by electron spin resonance and optically stimulated luminescence

J Hum Evol. 2014 Dec:77:187-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.09.006. Epub 2014 Nov 6.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Universidade Sagrado Coração, Rua Irmã Arminda 10-50, 17011-160 Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Chemistry Department, Williams College, 47 Lab Campus Drive, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA.
³ FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil; Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), 54, Boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris, France.
⁴ FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil; UNIVASF - Universidade do Vale do São Francisco, Av. José de Sá Maniçoba, S/N - Centro, 56304-205 Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil.
⁵ FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil; UFPi - Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Universitário Ministro Petrônio Portella, Bairro Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, Piauí, Brazil.
⁶ FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil.
⁷ Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Baixada Santista, Avenida Saldanha da Gama, n 89, Ponta da Praia, 11030-400 Santos, SP, Brazil.
⁸ Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Cidade Universitária, Av. Lineu Prestes, 2242, 5422-970 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁹ Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: baffa@usp.br.

PMID: 25456825
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.09.006

Abstract

Excavation of Toca do Serrote das Moendas, in Piauí state, Brazil revealed a great quantity of fossil wild fauna associated with human remains. In particular, fossils of a cervid (Blastocerus dichotomus) were found, an animal frequently pictured in ancient rock wall paintings. In a well-defined stratum, two loose teeth of this species were found in close proximity to human bones. The teeth were independently dated by electron spin resonance (ESR) in two laboratories. The ages obtained for the teeth were 29 ± 3 ka (thousands of years) and 24 ± 1 ka. The concretion layer capping this stratum was dated by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of the quartz grains to 21 ± 3 ka. As these values were derived independently in three different laboratories, using different methods and equipment, these results are compelling evidence of early habitation in this area.

Keywords: ESR dating; Moendas; New World settlement; OSL dating.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Brazil
Caves*
Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
Fossils*
Humans
Paleontology
Radiometric Dating / methods*
Tooth / chemistry*