Thermoluminescence dating of archaeological ceramics collected from state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Abstract Systematic field work has been carried out since 1993, in order to recover the archaeological sites, situated in places which will be inundated directly or indirectly by the installation of the Hydroelectric Complex “Porto Primavera”. A total of 14 archaeological sites were discovered in the right margin of the Parana river, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. Equivalent doses of ancient ceramics collected from these sites were determined by Additive dose method. The estimated ages were in the range of (239 ± 10) to (1248 ± 100) years. A burned charcoal sample was also collected from the oldest site and dated by 14C dating method (Centre de Faibles Radioactivites, Laboratoire Mixte C.N.R.S. – CEA, France). An age of about (1015 ± 75) BP was obtained and agrees with the one found by TL method.