We used the radiocarbon wiggle-match dating technique to date the varved
sediments of Lake Gyltigesjön in southern Sweden with the main aim to
construct an accurate chronology covering the period between about 3000
and 2000 cal BP. Wiggle-match dating was applied to bulk sediments to
evaluate the possibility of constructing accurate chronologies in the
absence of terrestrial plant macrofossils and when the amount of old
carbon in the sediments is unknown. Facilitated by a floating varve
chronology and relatively stable 14C reservoir ages, the results show
the possibility to assess the contribution of old carbon solely based on
the 14C wiggle-matching of bulk sediments. We confirm the
wiggle-matched chronology and the 14C reservoir age of approximately 260
yr by cross-checking the results with 14C dating of macrofossils. The
obtained calibrated ages based on bulk sediments have an uncertainty
range of about 60–65 yr (95.4% confidence interval). This study confirms
that 14C wiggle-match dating of bulk sediments is a viable tool when
constructing high-resolution chronologies. The method is especially
useful in Sun-climate studies since the timing between solar activity
variations (expressed as 14C variations) and climate changes can be
accurately determined.