Anth Notes 5

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Foothill College *

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Anthropology

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Oct 30, 2023

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Uploaded by DrBoar3234

I. Introduction ● Dating in anthropology refers to the methods and techniques used to determine the age of artifacts, fossils, and archaeological sites. ● Accurate dating is essential for understanding the chronology of human evolution, culture, and history. II. Relative Dating Methods A. Stratigraphy ● Stratigraphy is based on the principle that older layers of sediment or rock are found at the bottom, and younger layers are found at the top. ● Archaeologists analyze the order and depth of layers to establish a relative chronology. B. Seriation ● Seriation is a technique that arranges artifacts based on their stylistic and temporal changes. ● It is often used for dating objects with no absolute dates. C. Typology ● Typology involves classifying artifacts into types based on shared characteristics. ● Changes in artifact types over time can help establish relative dates. III. Absolute Dating Methods A. Radiocarbon Dating (C-14) ● Radiocarbon dating is a widely used method for dating organic materials up to around 50,000 years ago. ● It relies on the decay of the radioactive isotope C-14 in once-living organisms. B. Luminescence Dating ● Luminescence dating, including thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence, is used to date minerals in archaeological sediments. ● It determines the last exposure to light or heat. C. Potassium-Argon (K-Ar) Dating ● K-Ar dating is used for dating volcanic rock and minerals. ● It relies on the decay of radioactive potassium isotopes into argon gas. D. Tree-Ring Dating (Dendrochronology) ● Tree-ring dating measures the width of annual growth rings in trees. ● It provides precise dates for wooden artifacts and can extend back thousands of years. IV. Genetic Dating

● Genetic dating, including mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosomal DNA analysis, is used to trace human evolution and migration patterns. ● It provides insights into the timing of key events in human prehistory. V. Challenges in Dating ● Challenges in dating include contamination of samples, calibration of radiocarbon dates, and understanding local environmental factors. ● Different dating methods may provide slightly different results, and it's crucial to use multiple techniques for cross-validation.

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