DOI: 10.58132/rrvoaq
title: Absolute chronology of burial rites at hunter-gatherer sites Dudka and Szczepanki, Masuria, NE-Poland

description: Data set includes radiocarbon dates obtained for the Stone Age cemetery at Dudka and direct dates for human and dog remains which were found at both sites, Dudka and Szczepanki, in the settlement areas.Most results listed in the data set are obtained thanks to NCN grant project: Absolute chronology of burials and loose human bones from the hunter-gatherer Stone Age sites Dudka and Szczepanki in Masuria (NE-Poland) (Grant no. 2020/39/B/HS3/02375), conducted from the 1th October 2021 to 30th September 2024.For the project purposes 40 radiocarbon dates were obtained for Dudka cemetery, including 22 dates made for cremated human remains. For the unburned bone samples (collagen) stable isotope (13C, 15N) measurements EA-IRMS were made along with AMS dating. Radiocarbon age along with EA-IRMS measurement was achieved for 9 loose human and dog bones (or teeth) from the settlement areas at Dudka. For one human tooth from the Early Mesolithic layer only EA-IRMS measurement was made, the state of collagen does not allow the radiocarbon measurement. One date was also made for the brawn bear skull from a deposit pit which may be connected with loose human bones. Stable isotope results were obtained for 6 dogs from Szczepanki site, and 5 of them were dated.Measurements for the project purposes were made in three laboratories:Centre for Isotope Research of the University of Groningen (CIO), the Netherland22 heavily burned human bones (each one from a different individual) and 3 unburned bones were selected and submitted for measurements in this laboratory in 2022. Three bone samples could not be measured, because of lack of good quality collagen and 2 cremated bones did not contain sufficient apatite of good quality to be measured as well. AMS measurements were finally made for 20 samples from cremation burials.Aarhus AMS Centre, Aarhus University, Denmark Over 80 bones were sent to the laboratory, mostly from the Dudka cemetery, but the poor state of collagen preservation caused that only 23 measurements could be made. Bones sent to the laboratory were to estimate the potential collagen preservation using EA measurement of small test sample of bulk bone (15N) supported with FTIR spectroscopy. Most failed samples were rejected at this stage.Tandem Laboratory, Uppsala University, SwedenTo the laboratory 25 bones were sent for AMS measurements along with stable isotope 13C, 15N measurements, 14 samples come from Dudka cemetery and 11 from the settlement zones at Dudka and Szczepanki sites. Finaly, the results were obtained for 18 samples, 7 samples failed. For the samples from Dudka cemetery different preparation methods were tested, two methods include the ultrafiltration of the collagen and the third method was classic pretreatment of the laboratory (gelatinization). Finally, only the last, classic pretreatment gave enough good collagen for the measurement.To the list are added radiocarbon measurements obtained before the project in different laboratories – Poznańskie Laboratorium Radiowęglowe, Kiel-Laibniz Laboratory and Kiev Laboratory. The previously achieved results were verified in the project, because most of them were much younger than expected and unreliable. The definitely failed unreliable dates are described in the table as ‘failed’,Calibrated BC dates (95% confidence intervals) provided in the table are based on: OxCal v.4.4.4 (Bronk Ramsey 2021r), IntCal20 curve (Reimer et al. 2020).Tables include self-made osteological analyses of bone material made by Karolina Bugajska, which were conducted for the Master and PhD thesis, and were elaborated and up-dated for the project purposes.