Clustering of Calibrated Radiocarbon Dates: Site-specific Chronological Sequences Identified by Dense Radiocarbon Sampling

A novel method for identifying distinct phases of activity at archaeological sites using hierarchical cluster analysis of calibrated radiocarbon (14C) dates has been developed. This approach, validated with both simulated and real-world data from the Bronze Age settlement of Troy, enables the recognition of periods of heightened human activity separated by inactivity gaps, which correspond to archaeological phases. The method uses silhouette coefficient and randomization tests for consistency and statistical significance, providing a robust framework for constructing site-specific chronological sequences. These sequences can then serve as Bayesian priors to refine 14C date distributions further. A Python implementation of the method is available online.

Demján, P., & Pavúk, P. (2020). CLUSTERING OF CALIBRATED RADIOCARBON DATES: SITE-SPECIFIC CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCES IDENTIFIED BY DENSE RADIOCARBON SAMPLING. Radiocarbon, 63(2), 429–438. https://doi.org/10.1017/rdc.2020.129