Established in 1967 at Glasgow University, the Radiocarbon Laboratory has been based at SUERC since 1986. The laboratory has the capacity to prepare up to 34 graphite targets per day for AMS dating, with approximately 30% of the targets produced contributing to our in-house Quality Assurance programme.

In addition to taking an active part in a number of research projects, the laboratory carries out age measurements under contract to Historic Environment Scotland. We also provide a radiocarbon dating service to national museums, academic staff in a large number of universities worldwide, and many UK and European commercial archaeology units.

The laboratory can provide advice on sample selection, full sample pretreatment and graphite target preparation, stable isotope measurement, ¹⁴C analysis at the SUERC AMS Laboratory and subsequent calibration of results to the calendar timescale. If requested, the laboratory's chronological modelling team can additionally create a Bayesian site-model.

We can also provide the following, with or without radiocarbon dating:

1. ¹⁵N, ¹³C and ³⁴S measurements on bone collagen for palaeodietary studies
2. ¹⁸O and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr measurements on tooth enamel for tracing the geographic origins of people.

Our Staff

Nine highly trained members of SUERC staff carry out all ¹⁴C analyses and chronological modelling. Laboratory staff members have several decades of collective experience in radiocarbon dating, thus ensuring good continuity of the quality of the analytical service.

Every effort is made to provide a very personal service and most submitters are now well known to the Radiocarbon Laboratory staff. We welcome contact or visits from submitters.

Laboratory personnel are always on hand to provide advice on any aspects of the dating technique.