Ancient History Half Yearly

Front 1

Absolute Dating

Back 1

The absolute date of an artefact.
- Object e.g. coins may have date on it.
- Inscription often written on stone, metal etc.

Front 2

Relative Dating

Back 2

Gives a general idea of an objects date.
- E.g. pottery shape/decorations indicate different periods of time.

Front 3

Fluorine Testing

Back 3

Analysis of fluorine/nitrogen content in fossils or bones to find relative age.
- Nitrogen is present in bone at 4% and deteriorates slowly. Date calculated by whats left.
- Fluorine only relative.

Front 4

Cross-Dating

Back 4

A type of artefact e.g. sword at an undated site same as another already dated,

Front 5

Carbon-14 Dating (or Radiocarbon Dating)

Back 5

Measures the disintegration of carbon molecules in organic matter (anything that has lived).
- 66% probability.
- Short term fluctuations in carbon so date expressed as 5000 BC +/- 300 yrs.
- Dating up to 70 000 years.

Front 6

Dendrochronology (DendoTREEology)

Back 6

Measures date by counting tree rings (another ring added every year).

Front 7

Thermoluminescence

Back 7

Measures the energy stored in buried material since last sunlight.
- Organic materials e.g. earth around fireplaces, flint, baked materials.
- 200 000 years old, but more precise than c14.

Front 8

Pollen Analysis

Back 8

Examining pollen found in areas such as bogs and marshes where pollen lasts for thousands of years under a microscope.
- Various species that lived nearby.
- Indirect evidence of climate.

Front 9

Statification

Back 9

Layers (records occupational sequence of a site).
- Relative date given to each layer and objects in it.

Front 10

Typology

Back 10

Chronological ordering of artefacts of similar types e.g. pottery.
- Sequence is made on the observation that styles develop over time.