Bone collagen, the protein matrix of bone, is generally more resistant to contamination than the mineral component of bone, and careful pretreatment of samples before dating can remove many potential contaminants.

Multiple measurements from different bone samples, producing consistent results, provide confidence that the dates are not artifacts of contamination.

The consistency of multiple radiocarbon determinations from the Hourglass Cave remains — different bones yielding similar ages — is itself an important quality indicator.

If contamination were a significant problem, different samples might show different degrees of contamination and therefore inconsistent dates.

The consistency of the results argues against contamination as a significant source of error.

High Altitude And The Body