The following list reports radiocarbon dates of geologic samples collected from the west, southwest and south coasts of Sri Lanka during August 1985. The tidal range on Sri Lanka coasts is very small, the lowest neap at − 0.48m and highest spring at + 0.52m from msl (data based on the standard point of Colombo, datum level 0.38m below msl).

This study was undertaken in cooperation with David Clark of the University of Wisconsin in order to confirm the previous estimates of low sedimentation rates in the Arctic Basin (see Table 7).

The Second International Symposium on Archaeology and 14C, September 7–11, 1987, Groningen, The Netherlands was a most successful forum for the exchange of information and ideas among archaeologists and radiocarbon daters. The sincere intent of the organizers to achieve closer understanding and appreciation between the two disciplines was apparent throughout the conference. Indeed, even the conference title was changed from “14C and Archaeology” to “Archaeology and 14C.”

This study was carried out in cooperation with Steve Emerson of the University of Washington. The purpose was to obtain benthic-planktonic and planktonic-planktonic age differences on hand-picked foraminifera shells. Material was taken from two separate subcores from the primary 50cm2 box core (see Tables 8, 9).

These cores were chosen for our initial effort because they typified normal open ocean conditions (see Fig 9; Tables 10, 11).

This study was undertaken to determine the time history of the surface to deep 14C/C ratio difference for the Pacific Ocean (see Fig 10; Tables 12, 13).

This project was initiated by Alan Mix working in cooperation with Jack Dymond. It involves measurements of one size fractions and hand-picked foraminifera shells from material caught in sediment traps deployed in the equatorial Pacific Ocean (see Tables 14, 15).

This is the first of a series of new lists of English archaeological dates commissioned for measurement by the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission within prescribed contractual periods. This list, containing 121 dates, refers to the measurement period, April 1985 to March 1986, and results are reported irrespective of whether the associated projects are completed or ongoing.

The results presented in this list are mostly from our earlier years of operation, the most recent of which were measured in 1984. It is the second of a series of special lists being prepared hopefully to clear the backlog of unpublished dates of this laboratory. All samples are of archaeological origin from the United Kingdom; most have originated from “rescue” type excavations and all were sponsored by the Ancient Monuments Laboratory of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission.

Geologic samples for 14C age measurements were collected from the west, southwest and south coasts of Sri Lanka during October and November 1986. Sample points were leveled based on the Colombo datum level. Results presented below were obtained by liquid scintillation counting of methanol for coral and shell samples. Ages were measured from December 1986 to May 1987, at the Department of Geography, Hiroshima University, Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, using the laboratory procedure described by Fujiwara and Nakata (1984). Sample preparation techniques were similar to those mentioned in the first list (Katupotha, 1988). The results are expressed in radiocarbon years relative to ad 1950 based on the Libby half-life of 5568 ± 30 years, using the new oxalic acid standard (SRM 4900C) as ‘modern’ (Stuiver, 1983).