A COMPARISON OF THE PB-210 DATING TECHNIQUE WITH 3 OTHER INDEPENDENT DATING METHODS IN AN OXIC ESTUARINE SALT-MARSH SEQUENCE

The Pb-210 dates from a salt-marsh sediment sequence at Tites Point, S evern Estuary, southwest England, were compared with the results of th ree other independent dating techniques. These methods are inspection of dated topographic maps for the presence or absence of the salt mars h, dating of artifacts in a well-defined horizon within the sequence, and counting annual bands. All four sets of dates showed good agreemen t to about 30 cm depth from the present marsh surface; thereafter, dat es from the Pb-210 method are earlier than those from the other method s, which are themselves in agreement. It is concluded that a wide rang e of methods can be successfully used for dating salt-marsh sediments (e.g., radiometric techniques, topographic maps, archaeological eviden ce, annual banding). Where possible, it is important to confirm dates using at least two independent techniques.