Radiocarbon Ages

Radiocarbon ages are determined for all of the layers to establish that the dating is robust and no contamination has occurred. Note that samples get older with each deeper layer. The earthquake in the panel above occured when layer 4 was at the ground surface. The age of the earthquake is determined from the radiocarbon ages above and below, in this case the top and bottom of layer 4. This earthquake occured between 1457 and 1568 AD.