HOW OLD IS IT? The Story of Dating in Archaeology [SOLD]

HOW OLD IS IT? The Story of Dating in Archaeology

By James Schoenwetter

Museum of New Mexico Press Popular Series Pamphlet No. 2, 1965

The principle of stratigraphy is one of the archaeologist’s most useful theoretical tools as it allows one site to be compared with others.  Our example has shown how artifacts (pots and arrowheads in this case) and sediment types can be placed in stratigraphic order to provide a clock for archaeological dating.  Other objects which are commonly used as horizon markers in stratigraphic sequences are fossils.  Remains of extinct animals are often used to prove extreme antiquity.  Remains of plants and animals will often indicate similarity of ecological conditions at two sites and allow them to be cross dated.