The results suggested that the XAD-purified collagen retained characteristics consistent with genuine ancient collagen rather than a contaminated or extensively altered product.

To further support the collagen date, the researchers looked at other materials from the same stratum that had yielded the human bones.

Charcoal from the stratum produced AMS dates in the range of approximately 10,000 to 11,500 radiocarbon years BP.

Rodent bones from the same stratum produced similar dates.

The cluster of dates from multiple independent sources — human bone collagen, charcoal, rodent bone — all converging in the range of roughly 10,000 to 11,500 radiocarbon years BP was compelling.

The internal consistency of the dataset supported the conclusion that the human bones belonged to this age range, not to the younger age implied by the osteocalcin fraction.