{"id":339,"date":"2024-04-22T14:12:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T14:12:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.observingthemortals.com\/?p=339"},"modified":"2024-04-22T14:12:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T14:12:49","slug":"relative-dating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.observingthemortals.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/22\/relative-dating\/","title":{"rendered":"Relative Dating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Relative dating refers to dating methods that focuses on determining whether a fossil, artefact, or site is older or younger compared to another. This means archaeologists can create a sequence of events, even if they don&#8217;t know the exact calendar dates yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sir <strong>Mortimer Wheeler<\/strong> (1956), a renowned archaeologist, described relative chronology as &#8220;the arrangement of the products of non-historic societies into a time relationship, which may not have any dates, but which has a sequence.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Relative Dating Matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite not providing absolute dates, relative dating methods are incredibly valuable. They allow archaeologists to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Establish a Timeline:<\/strong>\u00a0Piece together the sequence of events at a site, understanding when different layers of habitation formed or which artefacts were introduced first.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Track Cultural Shifts:<\/strong>&nbsp;Observe how styles of pottery, tools, or architecture evolved over time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reconstruct Environmental Changes:<\/strong>&nbsp;Study changes in animal or plant remains to understand the past climate and ecological conditions of a region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By comparing these findings, archaeologists can create a detailed relative chronology, forming the backbone for further investigations. Often, relative dating methods pave the way for absolute dating techniques to provide pinpointed ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Various Methods of Relative Dating Includes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stratigraphy : Reading the Layers of Time <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Discovery:<\/strong> Niels Stensen, a Danish scientist, laid the foundation for stratigraphy in the 17th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Law of Superposition:<\/strong>&nbsp;In undisturbed sediments, deeper layers (strata) are older than those above them. It&#8217;s like the pages of a book \u2013 the bottom pages were placed there first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Archaeologists carefully excavate a site in layers, meticulously recording the position of artifacts, fossils, and features within each stratum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They analyze how these finds relate to the layers above and below them, building a chronological sequence of the site.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Disturbances:<\/strong>&nbsp;Natural events like earthquakes or animal burrowing and human activity can disrupt soil layers, complicating the sequence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geological vs. Archaeological Processes:<\/strong>&nbsp;Geological processes that form soil layers operate differently from cultural processes that deposit artifacts. Archaeologists must interpret these carefully.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>River Terraces:<\/strong>&nbsp;River erosion and changing water levels can create a reversed sequence in terrace deposits, where upper layers are actually older.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A Cornerstone Method:<\/strong>&nbsp;Stratigraphy is one of the most fundamental and reliable relative dating techniques in archaeology.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Critical Attention:<\/strong>\u00a0Archaeologists must be meticulous in identifying and interpreting soil layers to ensure accurate dating.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Seriation (Sequence Dating): Tracking Trends in Artifacts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Discovery:<\/strong> Pioneered by Egyptologist Sir William Flinders Petrie in 1899.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Assumes that artifact styles (shapes, decorations, etc.) change gradually over time. They appear, gain popularity, peak, and then fade away.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This pattern looks like a curve when graphed, known as a &#8216;battleship curve.&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Archaeologists analyze a collection of similar artifacts (pottery, tools, etc.) from a single area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They track changes in style or the frequency of specific features over time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Artefacts are arranged in a relative chronological order based on these stylistic shifts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>No Absolute Dates:<\/strong>&nbsp;Seriation reveals a sequence but not the age of the artifacts in calendar years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stratigraphic Context Matters:<\/strong>&nbsp;It&#8217;s most reliable when combined with other dating methods (like stratigraphy) to pinpoint which end of the sequence is actually older.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cultural Complexity:<\/strong>&nbsp;Style changes don&#8217;t always indicate advancing complexity. Cultures can revert to simpler forms or experience cycles of change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Useful for Short Timeframes:<\/strong>&nbsp;Seriation works well with sites lacking long sequences of layering, where styles might change rapidly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Famous Example:<\/strong>\u00a0James Deetz studied shifts in gravestone designs in New England, revealing changing cultural beliefs over time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Modern Techniques <\/strong>: Quantitative methods like correspondence analysis are increasingly used in archaeological research to achieve similar results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Paleontology (Faunal Dating): Animal Clues to the Past<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Climate change impacts the distribution of animal species. Some become extinct, and others emerge or shift their ranges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The presence or absence of particular animal remains can help archaeologists suggest an approximate date range for a site.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Archaeologists identify animal bones and remains found within a site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They compare these to known records of animal species associated with different climates and time periods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Examples<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mammoths:<\/strong>&nbsp;Finding woolly mammoth remains suggests a cold, ice age environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Forest vs. Steppe Elephants:<\/strong>&nbsp;The presence of specific elephant species can indicate either temperate forests (Elephas antiquus) or grassland\/tundra environments (E. Primigenius).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Approximate Ages:<\/strong>&nbsp;This method doesn&#8217;t pinpoint exact dates but suggests a general timeframe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Extinction &amp; Migration:<\/strong>&nbsp;Species don&#8217;t always disappear at the same time everywhere. Some might survive in isolated pockets or adapt to new climates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Small Matters:<\/strong>&nbsp;Remains of smaller animals like rodents, birds, and snails can be even more sensitive indicators of past climate change.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Best with Other Methods:<\/strong>&nbsp;Faunal dating is most valuable when combined with other techniques like stratigraphy or absolute dating for a more precise timeline.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Palynology (Pollen Analysis): Unlocking Past Environments<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Discovery:<\/strong> Swedish scientist Lennart von Post pioneered palynology in 1916.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Pollen grains are incredibly durable and differ between plant species.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By analyzing pollen preserved in sediments, scientists can reconstruct past vegetation and climate conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Scientists collect core samples from sites, carefully separating sediment layers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under a microscope, pollen grains from each layer are identified and counted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shifts in pollen types over time reveal changes in vegetation, indicating changes in climate or environmental conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best Preservation Environments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ideal:<\/strong>&nbsp;Peat bogs (common in Northern Europe) provide acidic, oxygen-poor conditions that are excellent for pollen preservation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Also Possible:<\/strong>&nbsp;Pollen can also survive in dry soils, sandy environments, and those with low acidity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Inorganic Sources:<\/strong>&nbsp;Pollen from streams or those carried on animal fur are harder to date as they aren&#8217;t directly associated with a sediment layer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Not All Regions Favor Preservation:<\/strong>&nbsp;Pollen analysis can be less reliable in areas where dry conditions are more common.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Climate Clues:<\/strong>&nbsp;Pollen analysis is a powerful tool for reconstructing past climates and understanding how environments changed over time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Absolute Dating Connection:<\/strong>&nbsp;Combining pollen analysis with Carbon-14 dating of organic material within a sediment layer can provide highly accurate dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Collagen Analysis : Dating Bones from the Inside<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Collagen, a protein found in bones, decays at a relatively predictable rate over time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By measuring remaining collagen content, scientists can estimate the relative age of a bone. Older bones have less collagen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Collagen is extracted from a bone sample in a laboratory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The amount of remaining collagen is analyzed and compared to known rates of decay.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Environmental Factors:<\/strong>&nbsp;The rate of collagen decay can be affected by temperature, soil acidity, and other local conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Not Absolute Dating:<\/strong>&nbsp;Provides a relative age comparison between bones within the same site, but not a specific date in years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Famous Example: Exposing the Piltdown Hoax<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Collagen analysis on the Piltdown Man remains revealed inconsistencies in the supposed ages of the skull and jawbone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This was crucial evidence that proved Piltdown Man was a deliberate forgery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Advancements:<\/strong>&nbsp;Scientists like Sinex &amp; Faris refined techniques for extracting collagen from archaeological bone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Combined Techniques:<\/strong>&nbsp;Collagen analysis is often used in conjunction with other dating methods like Carbon-14 for increased accuracy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fluorine Analysis : Dating Bones with Chemistry <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Bones buried in soil gradually absorb fluorine from groundwater. Over time, fluorine replaces other minerals in the bone, and older bones accumulate more fluorine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This method is part of the &#8220;FUN&#8221; trio, along with Uranium and Nitrogen analysis, which utilize similar principles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Process<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Scientists analyze the fluorine content of fossil bones found in the same location.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bones with higher fluorine content are generally considered older.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Uranium can also be absorbed by bone, replacing calcium, and provides an additional dating tool.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nitrogen, found in the collagen of living bone, decreases over time due to decay.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Local Matters:<\/strong>&nbsp;The rate of fluorine absorption varies between regions based on groundwater composition and soil factors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Same Site Comparisons:<\/strong>&nbsp;It&#8217;s most reliable when comparing bones found within the same site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Environmental Factors:<\/strong>&nbsp;Temperature and other soil conditions affect the rate of change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Famous Case: The Piltdown Hoax<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Fluorine tests revealed that the skull and jawbone of &#8220;Piltdown Man&#8221; had vastly different fluorine levels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This key evidence exposed the fossil as a forgery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tool in the Toolkit:<\/strong>&nbsp;This method often helps date bones when other techniques like stratigraphy aren&#8217;t conclusive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Combined Techniques:<\/strong>&nbsp;Fluorine analysis is strongest when used alongside other dating methods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Patination : Reading the Surface of Stone <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Patina is a film that forms on the surface of stone tools due to chemical weathering over time. The amount of patina can give a general idea of relative age.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A.J.H Goodwin extensively studied the factors contributing to patina formation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Archaeologists compare the degree of patination on stone artifacts found within the same area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Generally, heavier patination indicates greater age.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Environmental Factors:<\/strong>&nbsp;Patina formation rate is highly influenced by climate, soil composition, and the type of stone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rough Approximation:<\/strong>&nbsp;Provides a sense of relative age (older vs. younger), but not accurate dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Useful for Comparisons:<\/strong>&nbsp;Helps distinguish between different periods of tool production within a specific region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Best with Other Methods:<\/strong>&nbsp;Patination analysis is most reliable when combined with other relative or absolute dating techniques.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rate of Accumulation : Estimating Age Through Layers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>One of the earliest dating methods, it assumes that the thicker a layer of cultural or natural deposits, the older it is. It aims to estimate how long it took for sediment layers to build up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Archaeologists measure the thickness of habitation layers at a site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They attempt to estimate a rate of growth, taking into account factors that might have influenced the speed at which deposits accumulated.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Inconsistent Rates:<\/strong>&nbsp;Deposition rates can change drastically over time due to population fluctuations, changes in land use, natural events, and other factors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rough Estimates:<\/strong>&nbsp;This method offers only a very approximate idea of age.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Historical Example: Wheeler at Harappa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Sir Mortimer Wheeler applied this technique to the Harappan site in the Indus Valley.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He acknowledged the limitations of this method, deeming it of mainly academic interest due to its lack of precision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Best in Combination:<\/strong>&nbsp;While unreliable on its own, this technique can offer supporting insights when combined with other dating methods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cross-dating : Connecting Sites Through Artefacts <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic Principle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Cross-dating establishes relative timelines by comparing artifacts and cultural remains found in different locations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It relies on the idea that similar styles and technologies spread or were traded between connected regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Archaeologists examine the style, material, and techniques of objects found at a site with unknown dates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They compare these to similar artifacts from sites with established chronologies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shared similarities suggest potential connections and help place the undated site within a relative timeframe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Assumptions:<\/strong>&nbsp;Assumes that similar styles indicate a close timeframe, which might not always be true. Styles can spread through trade or imitation, even across larger distances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strongest with Other Methods<\/strong>: Cross-dating is most reliable as a supplementary tool combined with other relative or absolute dating methods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Analogy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Cross-dating in archaeology is like biostratigraphy in geology, where the presence of similar fossils in different rock layers helps connect their ages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick Revision : Relative Dating Techniques <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Method&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Introduction &#8211; discovery&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Basis\/Principle +Method<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Limitations&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Comments&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Stratigraphy<\/strong><\/td><td>Basic RDT; pioneered by&nbsp;<strong>Niels Stensen&nbsp;<\/strong>in the 17th C.&nbsp;The aim of stratigraphy is to reconstruct the history of deposition of site\u2019s remain.&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022&nbsp;Based on&nbsp;<strong>Law of&nbsp; superposition of&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Strata&nbsp;<\/strong>proposed by Stensen.\u2022&nbsp; It states that&nbsp;<strong>,&nbsp;<\/strong>in any succession of rock layers, the lowest most have been there the longest &amp; the upper layers have been in place for progressively shorter periods.\u201d\u2022 Thus in an Ar site the evidences are usually deposited in chronological order &#8211; lower stratum &#8211; oldest ; upper most contain &#8211; most recent&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 Most&nbsp;<strong>Robust<\/strong>relative dating methods &amp; among RDT most&nbsp;<strong>reliable<\/strong>technique&nbsp;\u2022 The paleo anthropologist \/ archeologist must ensure that there has been no disturbance of layers&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022&nbsp;Geological stratigraphy &amp; archeological stratigraphy&nbsp;are created by different process &amp; must be interpreted separately.&nbsp;\u2022 the&nbsp;<strong>succession gets reversed<\/strong>&nbsp;if the depositional agency has the&nbsp;<strong>power of constantly getting lower in level thr time<\/strong>&nbsp;(e.g river banks &#8211; i.e river terraces or terrace stratigraphy don\u2019t follow this principle b\/c of the erosional activity of&nbsp;<strong>fluctuating water level<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong><u>Seriation<\/u><\/strong>&nbsp;( Sequence Dating)&nbsp; aka Artifact Sequencing&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 Prehistoric not strongly attached to sites \u2192 long cultural stratigraphic seq -rarity. Short seq rule. Which must be related by different methods Seriation.&nbsp;\u2022 It\u2019s is RDT , used to date archeological objects \/ involves reconstructing the pattern of cultural dev.&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>\u2022&nbsp;<\/strong>invented by Egyptologist&nbsp;<strong>Sir William Flinders Petrie&nbsp;<\/strong>in 1899.&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 Based on assumption that any particular artifact, attribute or style will appear gradually, increase in popularity until it reaches a peak, &amp; then progressively decreases.&nbsp; \u21a0&nbsp;\u2022 archeologist are able to place categories of artefacts in a relative chronological order \/ series based on +ne\/-ne or frequencies of shared attributes.&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 there\u2019s no way to know which end of a serrated sequence of artifacts is the oldest unless it is determined by stratigraphic or chronometric methods.&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;I.e by itself is incomplete as reveals pattern of cultural change &#8211;&nbsp;but not direction of cultural change&nbsp;\u2022 Even, culture doesn\u2019t alway change from simple to complex ; may be reverse or cycle too&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022&nbsp;is used by&nbsp;<strong>James Deetz&nbsp;<\/strong>in studying &amp; dating gravestones in New England. \u2192 indicate gradual emergence &amp; replacement of several motives on grave stones which indicates the changes in local beliefs &amp; trade pattern.&nbsp;\u2022 Gradually being replaced in archeological research by a quantitative method c\/l&nbsp;<strong>correspondence analysis,&nbsp;<\/strong>which achieves the same end&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Palaeontology\/ Dating by using Animal Remain&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td><\/td><td>\u2022 On, changed climate will bring about the occurrence of different animals &amp; plant species.\u2022 with change in climate, some species become extinct\u2022 ex &#8211; high frequency of domesticated over wild \u21a0 +nce of animal husbandry&nbsp;&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;if found with particular animals , wooly mammoth \ud83e\udda3 \u2192&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 this method provides approximate age of objects, if not accurate, b\/c the compete species may not disappear at the same time. Some might live in isolated areas.&nbsp;\u2022 some live in wide range of climates&nbsp;\u2022 inference about climate tolerance of s, not changed over millennia &#8211; not safe.<\/td><td>E.g Evidence of Elephas antiquus (a forest elephant) indicates temperate climate &amp; that of E. Primigenius (a steppe elephant) indicates a steppe \/ tundra env.&nbsp;\u2022 small species like rodents &amp; birds, some molluscs &amp; snails are very sensitive to climate change. Their +nce\/-nce indicate climate change<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Polynology or Pollen Analysis&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022 Palynology is the study of Pollen grains, &#8211; can be used ot reconstruct prehistoric climate &amp; date of deposits.&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<strong>Lenhar Von Post&nbsp;<\/strong>(of Sweden), developed this method in 1916.&nbsp;\u2022 a&nbsp;<strong>site or locality<\/strong>can therefor be dated by determining what kind of pollen was found associated with it.&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 have excellent preservative ability &amp; are different for diff species ;&nbsp;\u2022 Thus&nbsp;level-wise microscopic studyof the ancient pollen samples obtained from a&nbsp;<strong>vertical section of prehistoric site&nbsp;<\/strong>helps to&nbsp;<strong>trace the past vegetation history<\/strong>. If combined with C-14 dating gives accurate date of time also&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 majority &#8211; held that dry env don\u2019t for preservation of pollen.&nbsp;\u2022 even when pollen a sample are found from the banks &amp; streams as they are inorganic, can\u2019t be dated unlike bogs (which are organic)&nbsp;\u2022 pollen f. May be distributed by remains of domesticated plant or by pollen brought by animals on their fur.&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong><u>Types of soils in which pollen can be preserved<\/u><\/strong>\u2022 Peat bog deposits are ideal (e.g N Europe)&nbsp;\u2022 dry sites, sands &amp; clay&nbsp;\u2022 acidic soils with ph less than 5.5 (<strong>G.w Dimbley\u2019s study<\/strong><strong>\u2022&nbsp;<\/strong>inspite of these limitations, pollen analysis is useful as relative &amp; absolute dating.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Collagen Analysis of Bones&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>Collage is substance that contains facts &amp; proteins present in the bones.&nbsp;The older the bone is, the lesser the collagen content, &amp; vice versa \u2192 help in identifying relative age&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 Buried bones undergo fossilisation &amp; start losing collagen at particular rate.&nbsp;\u2022 disintegration of collagen \u221d to Rate of fossilisation&nbsp;<\/td><td>Same as below&nbsp;<em>Its application gave a date off 500 \u00b1 100 yrs for the mandible, whereas for the skull a date of 620 \u00b1 100 yrs was obtained. Led to the exposure of hoax&nbsp;<\/em><\/td><td>\u2022&nbsp;<strong>Sinex &amp; Faris<\/strong>&nbsp;in 1959 revised the laboratory methods to extract collagen from ancient bone\u2022 radio Carbon dating also possible on collage.&nbsp;<strong>KP Oakley&nbsp;<\/strong>applied it on Piltdown bones. \u2190&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Florine analysis \/ Dating&nbsp;<\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong>FUN TRIO &#8211; Flourine, Uranium &amp; Nitrogen&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>This measure the relative age of bones from a given site based on measuring the fluorine content in fossil specimen ( in case of FUN TRIO &#8211; all three)&nbsp;Unlike other &#8211; N content \u2193 with prolonged burial , due to disappearance of&nbsp;<strong><u>collagen<\/u><\/strong>&nbsp;in the bones (living bone contain 4% nitrogen)&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 F &amp; U are&nbsp; found natural in water in may regions &amp; get gradually accumulate in bones &amp; teeth by&nbsp;<strong>hydroxy apatite \u2192 fluorine apatite<\/strong>&nbsp;Oldest bone contain largest content ;&nbsp;also U remove Calcium from it&nbsp;\u2022 the amt of F content can be determined by chemical analysis or thr&nbsp;<strong>X-ray crystallographic method&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2022&nbsp;tech is included by local env factor.&nbsp;\u2022 applicable only to bones found in the same location&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;as rate of fluorine formation is not content but various from region to region&nbsp;\u2022 variables like temp &amp; chemicals present in surrounding soil affect the rate at which N dissipates.&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 comparing &#8211; bone of close proximity \u2192 reveal contemporary or not&nbsp;\u2022 useful in&nbsp;<strong>dating bone<\/strong>&nbsp;that can\u2019t be ascribed with certainty to any particular stratum &amp;&nbsp;<strong>can\u2019t be dated according to stratigraphic method.&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2022 it played&nbsp; key&nbsp; role in exposing&nbsp;<strong>piltdown hoax \/ forgery<\/strong>&nbsp; in early 1950s&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Patination&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>The amount of patina on the stone is an index of its age.&nbsp;<strong>A.J.H Goodwin&nbsp;<\/strong>studied different factors leading to patination (1960)&nbsp;<\/td><td>It indicates the chemical alternation of rock surface exposed to atmospheric conditions.&nbsp;<\/td><td><\/td><td>Different types of tools from river gravels, terraces of rivers or lack can be differentiated based on the relative amt of patina.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Rate of Accumulation of Cultural or Natural deposits.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/td><td>It was one of the earliest methods of dating.&nbsp;<strong>Wheeler used it in Harappa&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>it involves rough estimation of time on the basis of thickness of the habitation deposits.&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022&nbsp;rate of growth of any site is not constant &amp; found to be subjected to factors such as \u2191 \/\u2193 in population, the use of serveral debris dumps , the lateral expansion of site etc&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u2022 wheeler applied this method in dating Harappan citadel excavations &amp; stated that &#8211; thr this method is not absolutely useless, it is only of academic interest.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cross dating&nbsp;<\/td><td>implies the tracing of relationships b\/w different area with the help of&nbsp;<strong>culture sequences etc.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>Shared similarities of Material remain found in an undated context with remains from a context of known age&nbsp;<\/td><td>Weak when used by itself ; best applied in conjunction with other dating methods&nbsp;<\/td><td>widely applied in archeological research, the logic of cross &#8211; dating is similar to that of&nbsp;<strong>Biostratigraphy&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Relative dating refers to dating methods that focuses on determining whether a fossil, artefact, or&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,58,1,59],"tags":[43,41,55,44,50,53,42,48,51,54,56,49,52,45,47,57,46],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.1 - 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