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Re: ostraca



Thank you for the information about the C14 of
pottery.

In fact, the technique I know of was used for paleolithic
etc. pottery (please correct me if wrong). The pot,
while wet, would often be placed on the ground and would
pick up small pieces of organic material (even seeds, which
sometimes enabled paleobotanists to learn all sorts of
things) which can be used for C14.

Do not forget that Ostraka are usually from the sides
of vessels and there are problems with checking to
see embedded organic matter. I imagine if we were very
lucky, there might be organic matter embedded in such
a way as its removal might be not destructive and which
would not hurt the writing.

But, in general, I have not heard of C14 for ostraka.

M. Stone