Methods used to determine the age of archaeological finds, such as stratigraphy, seriation, and typology.
Stratigraphy: This is relatively straight-forward and involves dating objects based on the layer of soil they were found in. It's a key method for dating objects, providing reliable age estimates in areas where there is little or no written historical documentation.
Carbon dating: Carbon dating is popular and is used by scientists to determine the age of an object containing organic material. This is done by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon-14 isotope (14C) present in the object.
Dendrochronology: This method of dating involves studying the growth patterns of trees, especially trees that live for a long time, such as the Bristlecone Pine. The annual rings on trees can be observed, and the widths of the rings can provide an indication of the age of the tree.
Luminescence dating: This dating method uses trapped electrons in an object's crystal lattice to determine its age. This is typically done with pottery, because the process of firing it can be dated more systematically.
Palynology: This method uses the pollen that is found in soil to identify plant species and their ages. This is especially useful when studying prehistoric environments, since the pollen that is present can indicate past climate conditions, as well ecological zones that are no longer present.
Thermoluminescence dating: This is very similar to luminescence dating, except that it is used to determine the age of the object itself rather than the object's surroundings.
Seriation: This method of dating involves dating groups of objects based on their relative positions in time. For example, ceramic objects might be found in layers in which each layer represents a certain period of time.
Historical dating: This is probably the most common method of dating, and involves examining written records to determine an object's age. This method is limited to areas where written records are available.
Faunal dating: This dating method involves examining the bones of animals found in an area. This is especially useful when studying prehistoric environments, since the bones that are present can indicate past climate conditions, as well as ecological zones that are no longer present.
Radiocarbon dating: The most commonly used method for dating organic materials, such as bone or plant matter. It measures the amount of carbon-14 remaining in a sample, which decays at a predictable rate over time.
Dendrochronology: The study of tree rings to determine the age of the tree as well as the timing of past events, such as climate changes or fires.
Thermoluminescence dating: This method can be used to date pottery and burned flint. It measures the amount of light emitted when a material is heated, which is proportional to the age of the object.
Obsidian hydration dating: This method measures the rate of absorption of water by an obsidian artifact. By measuring the thickness of the hydration layer, the age of the artifact can be estimated.
Optically stimulated luminescence dating: This method is used to date rocks and sediments that have been exposed to sunlight. It measures the amount of light emitted when the sample is stimulated with light.
Uranium-series dating: This method is used to date rocks and sediments containing uranium. It measures the ratio of uranium to its decay products in the sample.
Paleomagnetic dating: This method measures the polarity of the Earth's magnetic field at the time a rock or artifact was formed. By comparing this with the current polarity, the age of the sample can be estimated.
Amino acid dating: This method is used to date bones, shells and teeth. It measures the rate of decay of amino acids over time.
Electron spin resonance dating: This method is used to date materials that contain unpaired electrons, such as tooth enamel or quartz. It measures the amount of radiation absorbed by the material over time.
Fission track dating: This method is used to date volcanic glass and other materials containing uranium. It measures the density of tracks left by the decay of uranium over time.
Potassium-argon dating: This method is used to date rocks up to millions of years old. It measures the ratio of potassium to argon in a rock sample.
Luminescence dating: This method is used to date materials that have been exposed to sunlight, such as pottery or sediments. It measures the amount of light emitted when the sample is heated.
Varve dating: This method is used to date sedimentary rocks. It measures the thickness of annual layers of sediment, or varves, which can provide information about past climate conditions.
Histological dating: This method is used to identify the age of skeletal remains or teeth by examining the microscopic structure of the bone or tooth.
Stratigraphic dating: This method is used to date fossils and artifacts based on the geological layer in which they are found. It relies on the principle of superposition, which states that the deeper a layer is in the ground, the older it is.
Seriation: This method is used to date ceramics and other artifacts based on changes in style over time.
Cross-dating: This method is used to date trees or other materials by comparing their ring patterns to those of trees of known ages in the same region.
Paleoclimatic dating: This method is used to date materials based on past climate conditions, such as ice cores or coral skeletons. It often involves the use of multiple dating techniques to cross-check results.