Viktor N. Karmanov^1,*, Natalia E. Zaretskaya^2,**

¹Institute of Language, Literature and History of Komi Scientific Centre, Ural Branch of RAS, Syktyvkar, Russia
²Institute of Geography RAS, Geological Institute RAS, Moscow, Russia
*E-mail: vkarman@bk.ru
**E-mail: n_zaretskaya@inbox.ru

Keywords: Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Holocene, radiocarbon chronology, European northeast, critical analysis.

The paper publishes results of a critical analysis of the radiocarbon chronology data for the Neolithic and Chalcolithic complexes of the extreme European northeast (the Komi Republic, the eastern part of Arkhangelsk Region and Nenets Autonomous Okrug). The main factors that influence the reliability of 14C dating were established. The peculiarities of the formation of archaeological sources in northern taiga and incorrect interpretation of particular situations by archaeologists are the primary among these factors. The following categories were identified by the reliability degree of the radiocarbon dating results: reliable and ambiguous definitions; dates that determine not the creating time of sources, but the age of the events that had an indefinite effect on the formation of the sources; invalid data. The article indicates cognitive possibilities and prospects of using instrumental dating methods in regional archaeology.

DOI: 10.31857/S086960630013702-1