Chapter 4: Understanding Dating in Archaeology
Multiple Choice Questions
Weblinks
This chapter introduces the major methods of dating archaeological sites and materials.
4.0 Understanding dating in archaeology
Excellent overviews of dating techniques are at:
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d10/asb/anthro2003/archy/dating
http://anthro.palomar.edu/time/time_5.htm
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/dating/index.html
4.1 Relative dating
Relative dating involves dating something relative to something else. Ultimately it involves placing things in order. Unless artefacts actually have dates or dateable markers on them it rarely produces a definitive date but can provide a date range where other items in the sequence have been given calendar dates.
An example for south east Europe is at:
http://www.eliznik.org.uk/EastEurope/History/history-pre.htm
4.2 Seriation
Seriation is explained at:
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/denbow/labs/lab1-strat.htm
4.3 Obsidian hydration
Obsidian hydration is useful in areas where tools were made from volcanic glass. A simple introduction is at:
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/dating/dat_obsid.html
The gateway site for obsidian studies is:
http://www.peak.org/obsidian/
The idea of an ‘obsidian clock’ is explored at:
http://www.ornl.gov/info/reporter/no7/clock.htm
4.4 Absolute dating or chronometric dating
This section includes methods which can be used to give a reasonably
exact calendar date for a site or artefact. A good introduction to some
of these methods is at:
http://www.sciencecourseware.com/VirtualDating/
4.5 Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology involves studying and matching tree rings to create
a local sequence against which other artefacts or preserved wood can be
tested. A good explanation is at:
http://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/
Links about tree rings and trees:
http://web.utk.edu/~grissino/
4.6 Radiometric dating
Radiometric dating techniques are based on our understanding of the
rates of decay of particular minerals or the rate at which materials
release energy. An excellent straightforward introduction to forms of
‘radiometric dating’ including RC and potassium argon dating:
http://anthro.palomar.edu/time/time_5.htm
4.7 Thermoluminescence dating
Thermoluminescence is best known for its application to ceramics.
However it has been used in other situations where materials (including
stone) have been heated to high temperatures in the past.
http://www.rlaha.ox.ac.uk/
4.8 Radiocarbon dating (RC)
Radiocarbon dating is the best known of the scientific dating methods. Good explanations are at:
http://www.rlaha.ox.ac.uk/
http://www.c14dating.com/
http://www.rlaha.ox.ac.uk/O/index.php
http://www.sciencecourseware.com/VirtualDating/files/RC0/RC_0.html
http://www.radiocarbon.org/Info/#labs
http://www.radiocarbon.com/
The following site includes good graphics:
http://www.chrono.qub.ac.uk/Members/MBlaauw/C14decay.html
An explanation of the reservoir effect is at:
http://ethomas.web.wesleyan.edu/ees123/caiso.htm
A simple site with a test is:
http://nemo.sciencecourseware.org/VirtualDating/files/RC0/RC_0.html
4.9 Other methods
Amongst the range of other dating methods used by archaeologists are:
Uranium series dating http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/dating/uranium_dating.html
Fluorine analysis http://anthro.palomar.edu/time/time_3.htm
Archaeomagnetic dating http://www.brad.ac.uk/archenvi/research/archmag/archmag.php