OSL dating of fluvial quartz from Le Closeau, a Late Paleolithic site nearParis - comparison with C-14 chronology

OSL dating of fluvial quartz (coarse grains) using a single-aliquot regener ative-dose protocol is reported. The sampled site, Le Closeau, is located a long the river Seine near Paris, France; the chronology of the sequence is known from C-14 ages that support geological and archaeological evidence. D espite tightly and symmetrically distributed EDs, OSL ages are overestimate d by about 40%. We have reviewed potential problems in luminescence dating procedures used in this study, but have not succeeded so far in identifying a characteristic (other than independent age control) that would enable us to discard such samples. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.