Dating of Sediment Samples from Drill Cores in Lebanon Using Optically Stimulated Luminescence

The dating work using optically stimulated luminescence is part of an investigation into the supply of wood - particularly cedar wood - from present-day Lebanon to nearly the entire Near East. This dating work makes an important contribution to research on the chronology and reconstruction of environmental conditions (e.g., climate, soil conditions, fauna, flora) that were fundamental to international trade in this region. Furthermore, the age data obtained through luminescence dating methods will make an important contribution to understanding the infrastructure and settlement patterns of the study area in the Chekka region at that time. All work necessary for luminescence dating will be carried out at the Vienna Laboratory for Luminescence Dating (VLL) at the Institute of Applied Geology of BOKU University in Vienna. This work includes mechanical and chemical sample preparation, the determination of the equivalence dose using luminescence analysis, as well as statistical data evaluation and age calculation.