Radiocarbon Dating of St. George’s Rotunda in Nitrianska Blatnica (Slovakia): International Consortium Results

Radiocarbon dating of St. George’s Rotunda in Nitrianska Blatnica, Slovakia, reveals it was likely constructed between 783 and 880 AD (94.2% probability), with 86% of the probability distribution predating 863 AD. This suggests the rotunda could be the oldest standing purpose-built Christian church in eastern Central Europe, possibly built before the arrival of St. Cyril and St. Methodius to Great Moravia. An international consortium analyzed 20 samples (wood, charcoal, mortar, plaster) from multiple laboratories, yielding consistent results despite a wide calibrated age range due to the plateau-shape of the calibration curve during this period.

Povinec, P. P., Cherkinsky, A., Dorica, J., Hajdas, I., Jull, A. J. T., Kontuľ, I., Molnár, M., Svetlik, I., & Wild, E. M. (2021). RADIOCARBON DATING OF ST. GEORGE’S ROTUNDA IN NITRIANSKA BLATNICA (SLOVAKIA): INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM RESULTS. Radiocarbon, 63(3), 953–976. https://doi.org/10.1017/rdc.2021.31