Anthropological dating methods

On the other hand, absolute dating includes all methods that provide figures about the real estimated age of archaeological objects or occupations.

Relative dating includes methods that rely on the analysis of comparative data or the context (eg, geological, regional, cultural) in which the object one wishes to date is found.This method is primarily applied to projectile points and ceramic vessels.These present many characteristics that are used for comparing them, such as morphology and raw materials in the case of stone tools, and decorative techniques and motifs in the case of ceramics.Radiocarbon Dating Radiocarbon dating is the most widely used dating technique in archaeology.It relies on a natural phenomenon that is the foundation of life on earth.

Indeed, some items whose exact or approximate age is known are called "diagnostic artifacts." Examples of such objects include very specific stone tools, different pottery styles, objects that belong to a specific period (eg, the historic period or the French regime), coins with a production date, or other items bearing a trademark and whose history can be traced in historical records.