Pioneer of radiocarbon dating passes on
By: C Sievers with thanks to Gavin Whitelaw for biographical details, 2 February 2012
Who? What? Where? and When? are all vital questions that archaeologists need to answer. John Vogel addressed the "When?" or dating issue and revolutionised archaeological research in southern Africa by providing radiocarbon dates where previously relative dating, such as "older than" or "younger than", were the order of the day. Secure dating is an essential cornerstone of archaeological research and John's contribution to this field was immeasurable.
John Vogel graduated with a masters degree in chemistry from the University of Pretoria in 1955. He did his doctorate in physics at the University of Heidelberg. On its completion he was appointed head of the Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, which he ran from 1961 to 1967. He then returned to South Africa to establish the Natural Isotope Division in the National Physical Research Laboratory of the CSIR. John developed the CSIR lab into one of four key high-precision dating laboratories in the world and provided an exemplary service to archaeology in southern Africa and around the world.
Aside from his major role in establishing culture-historical frameworks, John developed techniques for dating unburnt bone, identified differences in the natural radiocarbon of the southern and northern hemispheres, and devoted much energy to understanding variations in the production of radiocarbon. He made signficant contributions to radiocarbon calibration programmes, undertaking dendrochronological studies in both the northern and southern hemispheres—a co-authored article on the Karkloof yellowwood tree is an exercise in extraordinary precision of thought and technique. For pre-Holocene times, John’s work on stalagmite dating allowed him to map radiocarbon variation deep into the Late Pleistocene.
John was President of the South African Archaeological Society from 1984-1986. His immense contribution to archaeology generally was recognised when he was awarded honorary membership of the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists.
Who? What? Where? and When? are all vital questions that archaeologists need to answer. John Vogel addressed the "When?" or dating issue and revolutionised archaeological research in southern Africa by providing radiocarbon dates where previously relative dating, such as "older than" or "younger than", were the order of the day. Secure dating is an essential cornerstone of archaeological research and John's contribution to this field was immeasurable.
John Vogel graduated with a masters degree in chemistry from the University of Pretoria in 1955. He did his doctorate in physics at the University of Heidelberg. On its completion he was appointed head of the Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, which he ran from 1961 to 1967. He then returned to South Africa to establish the Natural Isotope Division in the National Physical Research Laboratory of the CSIR. John developed the CSIR lab into one of four key high-precision dating laboratories in the world and provided an exemplary service to archaeology in southern Africa and around the world.
Aside from his major role in establishing culture-historical frameworks, John developed techniques for dating unburnt bone, identified differences in the natural radiocarbon of the southern and northern hemispheres, and devoted much energy to understanding variations in the production of radiocarbon. He made signficant contributions to radiocarbon calibration programmes, undertaking dendrochronological studies in both the northern and southern hemispheres—a co-authored article on the Karkloof yellowwood tree is an exercise in extraordinary precision of thought and technique. For pre-Holocene times, John’s work on stalagmite dating allowed him to map radiocarbon variation deep into the Late Pleistocene.
John was President of the South African Archaeological Society from 1984-1986. His immense contribution to archaeology generally was recognised when he was awarded honorary membership of the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists.