FIRST ESR DATES FOR THE ACHEULEAN OF ATLA NTIC MOROCCO (RHINOCEROS CAVE, CASABLANCA)

Four large teeth of Ceratotherium simum (Burchell) in an excellent sta te of preservation were collected from the rich mammal fauna associate d with an Acheulian assemblage in the lower part of the Rhinoceros Cav e. Three subsamples of enamel from each tooth were dated using the tec hnique of electron spin resonance (ESR). Rather high uranium concentra tions were measured in the dentine and cementum of the teeth, leading to significant discrepancies between the early uptake (EU) and linear uptake (LU) model ages. A mean age of 279 +/- 49 ka was calculated for early uptake of uranium, and 476 +/- 75 ka for linear uptake. This Ac heulian site is the first to be dated directly in atlantic Morocco.