One thing I make sure of is that the lab is on the international interlab comparison wheel so that all dates are comparable regardless of which lab they are being sent to (see Allen & Bayliss 1995, in Cleal et al Stonehenge in its Landscape)  ... this is getting more and more important when we are dating the Neolithic long barrows to one century in the early Neolithic (37th century), causewayed encloses to the 36th BC and the Neolithic house horizon to a phase of possible 60-80 years, with the life of these monuments and events now being recorded at the generational scale (see Bayliss & Whittle ec 2007 Histories of the Dead Cambridge Arch Journ, and Whittle et al. in press Gathering Time - dating Early Neolithic Enclosures Oxbow)
 
I have had significant problems and identified clear offsets with measurement from some labs some while ago
 
UK labs - Oxford v good, but in commercial terms can have a slow turaround - see website for costs and and SUERRC are also v good see prices on their website. Both labs are very approachable with queries
 
I also regularly use Rafter with whom good you can have good dialogue about samples - for instance remembering of course that dating bulk peat samples give poor imprecise results as you are dating humin acids rather than specific plant matter - hence I try not to date even small AMS 'bulk peat' samples and always select recognisable (if not identifiable) non vertical plant matter.
 
I also provide a service with advice including submission, calibrations and report on single or small sets of dates for £365-£375 per date. Larger programmes of dating require a proper C14 programme of selection, modelling etc.
 
Mike

On 27 May 2011 08:59, Mike Allen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Use a lab which is on international interlab comparison wheel (don't think Beta Analytical are)
 
UK labs - Oxford v good but commercial can be slow - see website for costs
and SUERRC are also v good see prices on their website
 
I have a deal with one non UK lad for AMS dates and I do these, including submission, calibrations and report for £365-£375. This is single dates - larger programmes of dating require a proper C14 programme of selection, modelling etc.
 
Mike.
 


On 26 May 2011 18:07, Lisa Gray <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Dear Colleagues,
 
I have been asked me to find out if radiocarbon dating  in the US is still cheaper than in the UK.
 
I don't have any experience of the financial end of radiocarbon dating so I thought you would be the best people to ask.
 
Seeing as my question dominated the list a few days ago please email me any replies offlist. If anyone else is also wondering about this you're welcome to ask me to send you a summary.
 
Thankyou,
 
Lisa
 
 
--

Lisa Gray MA (Maritime Archaeology-UCL) MSc (Bio-Archaeology-UCL) AIfA
Freelance Archaeobotanist
89 St. John's Rd,
Faversham,
Kent,
ME13 8EN.
tel: 01795590603/ 07812028697




--
Dr Michael J Allen, MIfA, FLS, FSA
AEA: Allen Environmental Archaeology
Tel. 07828 103454    website at www.themolluscs.com

and Visiting Research Fellow in Environmental Archaeology
Bournemouth University
 







--
Dr Michael J Allen, MIfA, FLS, FSA
AEA: Allen Environmental Archaeology
Tel. 07828 103454    website at www.themolluscs.com

and Visiting Research Fellow in Environmental Archaeology
Bournemouth University