Interdisciplinary research on urns from the Carthaginian tophet and their contents

Abstract

Six urns excavated at the tophet of Carthage and now in Dutch public collections are described. The cremated bones and the charcoal in these urns have been studied in detail. Some other remains in the urns turned out to be later, some even subrecent additions. The cremated bones from five of the six ums have been dated, using the bio-apatite fraction. A short summary of the scope and limitations of radiocarbon dating is added.