title: Dating human occupation at Toca do Serrote das Moendas, São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí-Brasil by electron spin resonance and optically stimulated luminescence.
abstract: Excavation of Toca do Serrote das Moendas, in Piauí state, Brazil revealed a great quantity of fossil wild fauna associated with human remains. In particular, fossils of a cervid (Blastocerus dichotomus) were found, an animal frequently pictured in ancient rock wall paintings. In a well-defined stratum, two loose teeth of this species were found in close proximity to human bones. The teeth were independently dated by electron spin resonance (ESR) in two laboratories. The ages obtained for the teeth were 29 ± 3 ka (thousands of years) and 24 ± 1 ka. The concretion layer capping this stratum was dated by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of the quartz grains to 21 ± 3 ka. As these values were derived independently in three different laboratories, using different methods and equipment, these results are compelling evidence of early habitation in this area.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Universidade Sagrado Coração, Rua Irmã Arminda 10-50, 17011-160 Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Williams College, 47 Lab Campus Drive, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA.
authors.forename: Anne R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.affiliation: FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil; Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), 54, Boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Niede
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guidon
authors.affiliation: FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil; UNIVASF - Universidade do Vale do São Francisco, Av. José de Sá Maniçoba, S/N - Centro, 56304-205 Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ignacio
authors.affiliation: FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil; UFPi - Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Universitário Ministro Petrônio Portella, Bairro Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, Piauí, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gisele Daltrini
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Felice
authors.affiliation: FUMDHAM - Fundação Museu do Homem Americano, Centro Cultural Sérgio Motta, 64770-000 São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane de A
authors.initials: Cde A
authors.lastname: Buco
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Baixada Santista, Avenida Saldanha da Gama, n 89, Ponta da Praia, 11030-400 Santos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tatumi
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Baixada Santista, Avenida Saldanha da Gama, n 89, Ponta da Praia, 11030-400 Santos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Cidade Universitária, Av. Lineu Prestes, 2242, 5422-970 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Maria Graciano
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: baffa@usp.br.
authors.forename: Oswaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Baffa
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D059552:Caves; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005580:Fossils; D006801:Humans; D010163:Paleontology; D055110:Radiometric Dating / Q000379:methods*; D014070:Tooth / Q000737:chemistry*
keywords: ESR dating; Moendas; New World settlement; OSL dating