U-Pb dating of zircon: A sourcing method for pottery from La Morena archaeological site, north-west Colombia*

摘要

U-Pb zircon radiometric dating and petrographic thin-section analysis were used for provenance identification of Ferreria and Marron Inciso pottery styles from La Morena archaeological site in northwestern Colombia. U-Pb dating was applied to zircons recovered from pottery and rock samples from nearby geological units. The results suggest at least three distinct sources: the metamorphic rock unit on which the archaeological site is located, a granodiorite unit that outcrops further away from the site, and a mafic rock that cannot be attributed with certainty. U-Pb in zircons proved to be effective as a provenance method, where ages of the possible source rocks are well constrained, and can be applied to areas where traditional sourcing methods may be problematic.