Examining late holocene marine reservoir effect in archaeological fauna at Hope Inlet, Beagle Gulf, North Australia.

This study examines the marine reservoir effect during the Late Holocene evolution of a small estuary in the Beagle Gulf (12°S, 131°E). The paper aims at refining the local marine reservoir ages (R) and correction values (ΔR), by 14C analysis of stratigraphically associated archaeological fauna (marine shell, charcoal and fish otoliths) from five proximate middens of different chronologies. The results suggest that a marine reservoir age of 340 ± 70 yrs is applicable to the Beagle Gulf for the Late Holocene, which is not significantly different from that determined for nearby Van Dieman Gulf and the north Australian coast. © 2009, The Australian National University (ANU