Humans and Myotragus: the issue of sample integrity in radiocarbon dating

espanolA crucial datum in the prehistory of the Balearic Islands is the arrival of humans and the supposed, consequent extinction of Myotragus balearicus due to human interference. Over the years several chronological models have been proposed. The papers dealing with this topic all discuss in great extent the archaeological integrity of the samples used for radiocarbon dating this event. None of the papers, however, discuss the sample integrity of the bones (of both humans and Myotragusi used in the radiocarbon analyses. Our investigation shows that most of the bones from the crucial site of Cova de Moleta are very badly preserved. Consequently, the results are unreliable and in many cases the question should be asked if there is any relationship between the radiocarbon age of the sample and the real age of the bone. In this paper, we discuss relatively simple methods to check the quality of the bone and the reliability of the radiocarbon date. catalaUna fita clau enla prehistoria de les Illes Balears es la data de l'arribada dels humans i la suposadament conseguent extincio de Myotragus balearicus, degut a les interferencies humanes. Al llarg dels anys s'han proposat diferents models cronologics. Els treballs que tracten aquest assumpte discuteixen tots en gran extensio la integritat arqueologica de les mostres emprades per a la datacio radiocarbonica d'aquest esdeveniment. Empero, cap dels treballs discuteix la integritat de les mostres d' ossos (tant d'humans com de Myotragus) emprats a les analisis radiocarboniques. La nostra recerca mostra que la majoria dels ossos d'una localitat clau, la cova de Moleta, estan molt mal conservats. En consequencia, els resultats no son fiables i en molts de casos la pregunta que caldria respondre es si hi ha alguna relacio entre I'edat radiocarbonica de la mostra i I'edat real de I' os. En aquest treball discutim metodes relativament senzills per contrastar la qualitat dels ossos i la fiabilitat de la data radiocarbonica