Assumptions baked into the VMS carbon dating

[Jorge_Stolfi]

Tree rings are oblivious as to whether humans are or aren't recording things.

You are right, of course. 

Gemini tells me that the C14 calbration curve is smoother for the older dates because it was computed by mixing samples of 10-20 tree rings in order to obtain large enough samples, and to compensate for scarcity of suitable material.  For the more recent periods it was possible to measure and correlate individual tree rings, and that is why we can see the effects of solar activity variation.

All the best, --stolfi