Luminescence dating of ancient kilns and gothic to baroque bricks from SE Poland – a comparison with archaeomagnetic data

Abstract

The TL and OSL ages obtained from two ancient kilns and gothic to baroque bricks in the SE of Poland, were compared to their presumed historical ages and discussed. The luminescence ages of ancient kilns were also matched with the results of archaeomagnetic dating. The OSL and archaeomagnetic data indicates that the ancient kilns were last used not later than ca. 280 AD. This age corresponds well to the lower limit of the postulated age of fragments of Roman type storage vessels found in the filling of kilns. The OSL data used alone can point even to the end of the phase B2 of Roman influence in Poland. The TL ages obtained from the kilns (5297 ± 256 BC, 7092 ± 423 BC) are significantly older. These bottom parts of kilns, from which samples were taken, most probably were heated to a relatively low temperature, insufficient to reset the TL signal. Most of TL ages obtained from gothic to baroque bricks do not correlate with their historical ages. Unknown and most probably varied brick moisture contents in sampled ground floor walls and cellars does not allow to precisely date these bricks using the TL signal.