What is relative dating
a chronological sequence without a fixed timescale
What is absolute dating
age with reference to a specific timescale
What is typology
shared attributes between artifacts - material, shape, decoration
What is frequency seriation
changes in popularity over time
What is seriation
a transition between typologies - which typology came first and which came next
what is linguistic dating
divergence of language - lexicostatistics: changes in vocabulary due to divergences
What is an environmental sequence
changes in climate on a regional scale. recorded in:
- deep sea cores: containing foraminifera
- ice cores: formed due to volcanic eruptions
what is palynology
analysis of pollen, pollen zones have been developed representing 10 kya
What is absolute documentation dating
Absolute dating utilizing calendars, papyrus, coins and Mayan stelae
What is the terminus post quem
the earliest date
What is a varve
an annual deposit of sediment in lake beds due to annual fluctuation in climate and melting polar ice
What is dendrochronology
tree ring dating, developed by AE Douglas in the 1900s - can only determine the age at which a tree fell in areas with significant changes in climate
What is fission track dating
spontaneous division of radioactive decay leaving marks on rocks, minerals and glass
What is compound specific 14C analysis
analyzing fatty acid residues on vessels using AMS
What is thermoluminescence dating
trapped E released upon firing, when reheated E released again and measured
What is optical dating
dating using minerals exposed to light
What is e- spin dating
materials decompose when heated
what is archaeomagnetic dating
info about the magnetic field stored in pottery that is measurable when heated
What is genetic dating
using DNA from living groups to make inferences about past groups
When did H habilis appear
2m YBP
when did H erectus appear
100k YBP
When did H sapiens appear
300-40k ybp
when did H neanderthalensis appear
400-30k ybp
when did mass migration occur
80-60k ybp
