ANT200H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter Week 7: Conversion Of Units, Dendrochronology, Geochronology
Document Summary
Reconstructing the past requires: defining the time dimension, determine which remains are from the same periods, examining behavior systems at specific points and trace how these systems change over time. Chronology based on several different methods and many dated samples is the most reliable. Advances in chemistry and nuclear physics have expanded the inventory of dating techniques. Due to the radiocarbon revolution in the 1950s and other new age-determination techniques, archeologists can focus research on behavior-oriented studies rather than chronological issues. Direct dating uses analysis of the artifact, ecofact, or feature itself to arrive at its age. Indirect dating uses analysis of material associated with the artifact, ecofact, or feature being studied to evaluate its age: reliability depends on the security of the context. Relative dating evaluating the age of one item relative to other items: actual ages are not assigned to the data.
