Point defects in calcite used to estimate the date of arrival of first settlers in central region of Brazil

A groundbreaking discovery in the Chapada de Diamantina region, situated between Serra da Capivara National Park and Montalvania, Piauí, Brazil, has pushed back the timeline of human habitation in central Brazil. Researchers analyzed calcite formations on rock-wall paintings using thermoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dating techniques, revealing an age range of 40 to 55 thousand years ago (ka). This finding indicates that humans inhabited the area significantly earlier than previously thought, predating 40 ka. The study leverages point defects in calcite crystals as a novel method for dating archaeological sites, offering a precise and non-destructive approach to understanding human settlement patterns in the region.

Cano, N. F., Etchvarne, C. A., Munita, C. S., Rocca, R. R., Barbosa, R. F., & Watanabe, S. (2013). Point defects in calcite used to estimate the date of arrival of first settlers in central region of Brazil. Physica Status Solidi C, 10(2), 268–271. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/pssc.201200468