Sources of Error and Bias in Luminescence Dating

Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry Vol. 22, No 1, (2022)

The recent Nature Reviews Methods Primers article on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating using quartz includes selective bias in reporting of basic functions, techniques and uncertainties, alongside exclusion of important articles and special methodologies of OSL. Consequently, the value of the review is oftentimes rendered deficit and unfair. The aspects of quartz OSL dating discussed in this Primer cover several reviews on methods and materials previously published in the last 5-10 years but fails to mention and/or discuss any new major advancement (see e.g 1, 2).

Liritzis_sources of error OSL