ANT 304 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Molecular Genetics, Thermoluminescence Dating, Archaeomagnetic Dating
Document Summary
Relative dating - the determination of chronological sequence without recourse to a fixed time scale. Absolute dating - determination of age with reference to a specific time scale. The first and most important step in research is ordering things into sequences. Underlying layer was deposited first and was therefore older. Need to detect whether there has been any human or natural disturbance of the layers since they were originally deposited. Materials are the main things we want to date - reveal past human activities. Idea of association is important - objects found in the same stratigraphic layer were buried at the same time. Typological sequences - artifacts with similar characteristics were produced at the same time. Archaeologists define the form of such an artifact by its attributes of material, shape and decoration. The products of a given period and place have a recognizable style. The change in style is often quite gradual or evolutionary.
