Radiocarbon dating of the historic grand baobab of Mahajanga, Madagascar

TitleRadiocarbon dating of the historic grand baobab of Mahajanga, Madagascar
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsPatrut, A, Patrut, RT, Rakosy, L, RATIU, ILEANAANDREEA, Danthu, P, Tsy, J-MLeong Pock, von Reden, KF
JournalStudia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Chemia
Volume68
Start Page119
Issue1
Pagination119–129
Date Published2023
Abstract

The article reports the AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) radiocarbon investigation of the historic Grand Baobab of Mahajanga. The largest African baobab of Madagascar exhibits a cluster structure, which consists of 6 fused ordinary stems and of 3 small binding stems. Two samples were collected from the largest stem and from a primary branch, out of which several tiny segments were extracted and dated by radiocarbon. The oldest dated sample segment had a radiocarbon date of 214 ± 17 BP, which corresponds to a calibrated age of 265 ± 25 calendar years. The dating results indicate that the Grand Baobab of Mahajanga is 275 ± 25 years old.

DOI10.24193/subbchem.2023.1.09