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Intro to Archaeology
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Test 3 2100.Frameworks for measuring time:
Absolute dating- the determination of age with reference to a specific timescale such as a fixed
calendrical system, also referred to as “Chronometric dating”
Relative dating techniques:
Terminus post quem (TPG): the earliest possible date for an archeological deposit
Terminus ante quem: TAQ: the latest possible date for the deposit
Stratigraphy: provides a broad relative chronology: oldest on bottom newest on top,
- Can provide a more defined chronology with the combo of other relative dating techniques or
absolute dating techniques
- Law of superposition: underlying layer was first and therefor earliest or earlier than layers above
it.
Typology: classification criteria: material shape and decoration:
- Relative dating through typology:
- 1) products of a given period and place have a recognizable style
- 2) change in style (shape and décor) of artifacts is often quite gradual or evolutionary.
Seriation: assemblages if artifacts can be arranged in a succession or serial order, which is then taken to
indicate their ordering in time, or their relative chronology
Linguistic dating
Environmental sequences:
- Deep sea cores: analysis of the chemical structure of microscopic marine organisms in datable
layers of sediment can be used to reconstruct climate and provide a relative chronology
- Ice cores: layers of annual ice deposits can produce a chronology of world climate
- Pollen dating: pollen produced by vast vegetation in a given area can reveal the climate of
particular pollen zones and help to produce a relative chronology.
Obsidian hydration: a fresh break absorbs water from atmosphere at a known rate, chemically alters a
thin layer on the edge of the break, thickness of this layer depends on the time since the break and can
provide a date relative to other samples at the same or surrounding sites.
Chemical dating of bone: bones, antler and teeth absorb fluorine and uranium from ground water while
leeching nitrogen into the soil, this occurs at a uniform rate so if the proportions are measured a relative
age can be established.
,Problems with relative dating techniques:
- Only approx. date where elements of the sequence can tie into historical data
- One type of artifact does not necessarily succeed another
- Curation or passing down of valued artifacts can lead them to be deposed long after their
manufacture.
-
Absolute Dating:
Dendrochronology: Tree ring dating uses the size of growth rings in trees to date wood, large pieces,
charcoal
Radiocarbon Dating: used to date any carbon based remains, up to 50,000 years old. Old wood effect.
Before 1950 Calibration chart. Best case scenario +/- 20 years. Worst case two centuries ago.
AMS Dating: Spectrometer that use magnets and sperate individual carbon atoms to date. Super small
sample can be used. 1000 sample a year Efficient, now standard procedure for arch.
Potassium Argon dating (K-AR) dating: compare the amount of K in a sample to the amount of AR. 5,000-
3-Billion-year-old samples.
Fission Track dating: fossil deposits: dates minerals contemporary to the fossil deposit, requires prior
high temperature event. Crystals. Glass, high uranium contents samples. 20 yrs – 5 billion.
Paleomagnetic dating: heated materials take on the magnetic properties of the earths magnetic field at
the time of heating. Up to 10,000 years.
Archaeomagnetic dating: ceramics, kilns, furnaces, and other heated objects.
Uranium series dating: calcite formations: 235U and 238 U decay. Less than 300,000 years old.
Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL): sediment dating: quartz and feldspar. Date is measured when
they last saw light and recharged in burial.
Thermoluminescence dating: heated samples, ceramics, and lava flows. Unlimited time frame.
Electron spin resonance: measure trapped electrons from surrounding radioactive material. Up to 1
million years old, bone and shell.
Amino acid racemization: non-radiometric: 2000-1 million years old. Bone, charcoal, other organic
material.
Obsidian Hydration: up to 800,000 years old, volcanic glass, both relative and absolute dating
mechanism.
, What is the importance of archaeobotany?
- Can provide answers to:
- What was the environment like?
- What did they eat?
- What contact did they have?
-
Microbotanical remains?
1) Pollen: most useful for the study of minor fluctuations in climate over the last 12,000 years.
Although pollen can be preserved for millions of years in some contexts (palynology)
2) Phytoliths: survive very well in most arch. Sediments and can add to the picture of the
environment built up from other sources
3) Diatoms: found in lake and shore sediments and thus useful for the analysis of past marine
environments
Macrobotanical remains: dry environments: desiccated, perm wet environments: waterlogged,
preserved by charring.
- Seed and fruits: can be identified to species (imprints)
- Crop domestication
- Origins of agriculture:
- Plant residues
- Wood and charcoal: identified to genus or species
Sampling and flotation: Micro
- Choosing sampling locations:
- - impractical to recover all sizes and classes from every bit of soil being removed
- Sieving (catch larger remains, small remains are still lost)
- During excavation it can be difficult to determine which contexts will be important for analysis
- Sampling method can address all of these issues
Blanket sampling for macro remains:
- Collect soil from all contexts
- Easy to carry out in field (become routine)
- Gives Max. flexibility for analysis
- Sampling above and below feature: analyst can evaluate the features without bias of adjacent
loci.
- Samples must be distinct (ex. Hearths different sample from surrounding floors)
In Situ sampling for macro remains:
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