1995-96 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

BSIP
Objective
archaeobotanical
importance
To date Quaternary sediment profiles, ocean sediment cores,
coastal deposits and shell deposits and Kankar horizons in the
Ganga Plain
To establish the Liquid Scintillation Counting method/or C-14
dating
A total of 81 samples were processed in the Radiocarbon lab, of these 59 samples
were dated including 34 samples as a part of consultancy services offered by the institute.
Some of the results are as follows:
For reconstruction of the palaeoclimate and envirol1ll1entand their changes during
Late Quaternary, 3 clay and 3 kankar samples were dated from 24 Parganas, and Salt Lake
area in Calcutta respectively. Lowest horizon dates to >40,000 yrs BP.
Three shell samples from Koparkhairna, district Thana were dated to know the age
of the oyster bed and to interpret palaeoclimate and sea level changes. The age of the bottom
most oyster bed is 6240± 120 yrs BP.
Seven shell samples collected from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu by Professor P.K.
Banerji, Jadavpur University (School of Oceanography), were dated for Holocene sea level
changes and evolution of the lagoon in the East coast. The oldest date 24960±420 yrs BP
is obtained for the shell sample from Manaffad point.
Five charcoal samples were dated for the Centre for Earth Science Studies,
Trivandrum from recent earthquake site at Latur in Maharashtra. The oldest C-14 age is
2350± I00 yrs BP.
Two sediment samples from Marian, Kodaikanal and one sample from Dangmal, at
Mahanadi delta, Orissa were dated to reconstruct the palaeofloristics in south India and
Orissa. The base date from Marian was 18060±290 yrs BP at 130 cm depth and another
date at 100 em was I0750± 160 yrs BP. The sedin,ent sample at 90-135 em depth at Dangmal
gave the age as I440±200 yrs BP.
Four shell samples from different part of Maharashtra submitted by Dr Shiela
Misra, Deccan College, Pune were dated to know the age of microlithic industry and its
Early Holocene aggradation. The oldest C-14 age 13130± 190 yrs BP is linked to aggradation
with increased aridity.
Ten shell samples from Tekkekkad, Kerala, submitted by G.K.Suchindan, Centre
for Earth Scicnce Studies, Trivandrum were dated to understand Quaternary coastal evolution
and sea level changes along the coast. The interpretation of the data are being carried
out.
Two bone samples from Sekta Mound, Sekta, Manipur was dated to establish the
chronological relationship with other urn burial sites in Asia. The C-14 age is Modcm.
G. Rajagopalan
Interpretations on climatic changes around Didwana Lake, Rajasthan on the basis
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