Definition: when can not work out the exact dates
archeologists use the process of relative dating. In other
terms is the way of dating artefacts based on relative age
or by sorting artefacts from oldest to newest. Working
out relative order of events, without determining the
artefacts absolute date. It is more of an estimation of the
date.
DATING METHODS:
SERIATION: this is dating through
comparison of work in Egypt done by
Flinders Petri. By using assumptions that
tombs with the same style meant they were
made in the same time frame therefore
artefacts found in tomb was of that time.
DENDROCRONOLOGY: this is used for wooden
products such as posts and beams from
particular dates in time. This is the studying
of rings in the wooden products. The
overlapping of rings in the wood are counted
to find a date. This way of dating wood is both
absolute and relative.
ODSIDIAN HYDRATION
DATING: with obsidian
when it is exposed to air a
layer goes around it. Over
time the layer gets thicker.
By measuring the thickness
of the layer it gives an
estimated time of usage.
STRATIGRAPHY: This idea states that material found
in lower stratigraphic units which means that is deeper
underground the older the material is. This provides a
rough estimation of the dates of artefacts. This way of
dating provides a simple way to know how old the
artefact is in comparison to others.
SEQUENCES: The use of
looking at what animals are
represented in the artefacts
can give an estimate to what
date the artefact was used
from. For example if the
animals depicted are now
extinct it represents the time
frame that that artefact
could’ve been made or used.
ADVANTAGES:
It can be used to test a range of artefacts in
two different locations.
Quick and cost effective method of dating.
DISADVANTAGES:
Based on assumptions that there is a connection
between artefacts