Towards an absolute chronology for the last glacial period in Europe: radiocarbon dates from Oerel, northern Germany

Radiocarbon dates from the terrestrial Weichselian standard profile of Oerel are presented. The end of the Early Weichselian (WE IV, corresponding to isotopic stage 5a) is dated by two independent analyses to around 61 000 years B.P. The two subsequent interstadials, Oerel and Glinde, which have been described from this locality in an earlier publication, are dated to ca. 58 000 - 54 000 B.P. and 51 000 - 48 000 B.P., respectively. The dates of both interstadials are in good agreement with the chronology available from the deep sea record. The chronology of the younger part of the Pleni-Weichselian is briefly reviewed.