Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New tests confirm Lake Minnetonka canoe is 1,000 years old
Star Tribune ^ | April 11, 2014 | Kelly Smith

Posted on 04/11/2014 9:38:33 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last
To: SunkenCiv

Did they find my guns by it? I am pretty sure this was the same area of my tragic boating accident...


21 posted on 04/11/2014 10:48:41 AM PDT by LearnsFromMistakes (Yes, I am happy to see you. But that IS a gun in my pocket.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SoCal Pubbie

Right, the RC dating shows the oldest possible date, which is the youngest ring; if the bark is present (possible, but unlikely), the date of the cutting can be found. But this is a hollowed out log; the only missing layer is likely to be the last one, so, they know when it was cut. :’)


22 posted on 04/11/2014 10:50:07 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

So the carbon dating varies from sections of the tree, from inner to outer, to the bark, is that correct?


23 posted on 04/11/2014 10:54:21 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: SoCal Pubbie

It’s called radiocarbon dendrochronology. Dendrochronology as a technique began before radiocarbon dating, but only yielded relative dates, and they were (as you might imagine) a little subjective. The technique began in the SW US where there are timbers in precolumbian structures that can have their ring spans counted (for the age) and measured (for comparison with other samples of the same species).

Radiocarbon dating used to use a lot more of the sample, so it was used sparingly; as technology improved, IOW, by about 1970, it was possible to get a more accurate date with much smaller samples, making radiocarbon dating of each ring practical. Before this, a log might be cross-sectioned, and the slice dated, yielding an average date, which works adequately because the rings could be counted beforehand.

Dating individual rings turned up the infomrmation that the RC quantity in the atmosphere varies from year to year; that in turn made dendrochronology more important, since the sequence of fluctuating values can be “wiggle-matched” to build a ring sequence beginning with living specimens, and going back to overlapping sequences in dead samples, then overlapping those with older samples, to build a continuous sequence that can be cross-checked by other labs using second samples from the same specimens.


24 posted on 04/11/2014 11:03:24 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: LearnsFromMistakes

Nah, your guns and your canoe were seized by the Bureau of Firewater, Canoes, and Thundersticks.

Wow, even I felt a little offended by that one.


25 posted on 04/11/2014 11:18:58 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

A little high-quality marine wax and she’ll be good as new.


26 posted on 04/11/2014 11:19:55 AM PDT by Scoutmaster (Is it solipsistic in here, or is it just me?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scoutmaster

Duct tape would be good, too.


27 posted on 04/11/2014 11:25:01 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: SoCal Pubbie
Wouldn’t the test show how old the tree was from which the canoe was carved, not when the carving was done? Or am I missing something?

Generally people build things out of freshly cut wood. They might have even taken advantage of a fallen log that was one or two years old, but after that the logs tend to rot. So the reasonable assumption is that this was carved within a short time frame of when the tree died.

28 posted on 04/11/2014 12:05:46 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (My tagline is in the shop.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: ElkGroveDan

That much I understood but where I was uncertain was getting different carbon dates for different parts of the tree. I assumed the item would give one date overall. I’m still not sure if I’m right about that but if so then it makes sense.


29 posted on 04/11/2014 1:35:43 PM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: SoCal Pubbie

Ahhhh... well in that case the younger date could have come from fungus or spores that may have grown on the old log if it became partially exposed at some point or an air pocket became trapped under it. The growth would have died away a long time ago but left biological material causing C-14 ratio-contamination between cracks in the much older log — that’s just one example.


30 posted on 04/11/2014 2:30:29 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (My tagline is in the shop.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: minnesota_bound

You can’t bow fish for carp in Lake Minnetonka because it is a designated muskie Lake.


31 posted on 04/11/2014 5:05:13 PM PDT by Sawdring
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

Purified by outboard engine smoke, oil, and Urasian Water Milfoil.


32 posted on 04/11/2014 5:07:28 PM PDT by Sawdring
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

So, the northern Native Americans’ technological high-water mark was reached about 1,000 years ago...since then even their latest advance, the casino, has only been an adaptation of a European invention.


33 posted on 04/11/2014 5:53:53 PM PDT by Clioman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Expired registration sticker, ID numbers not visible from both sides, and no invasive weeds sticker at all. Authorities are searching for the rightful owners to discuss fines.


34 posted on 04/11/2014 7:51:01 PM PDT by eartrumpet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson