Dating Techniques for the Archaeologist [SIGNED]

Henry N. Michael and Elizabeth K. Ralph (Ed.) / [Sinclair Hood]

ISBN 10: 0262130742 / ISBN 13: 9780262130745

Published by The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1971

About this Item

Dust jacket: Creasing to ends of spine and corners. A few short tears to edges. Preserved in a removable jacket protector. Overall jacket condition is Very Good Minus. Book: Red cloth binding. Bumping to ends of spine, otherwise in very clean condition throughout. From the private collection of renowned British archaeologist Sinclair Hood. Inscribed and signed by both authors to front free endpaper: 'To Sinclair Hood with best wishes, Henry N. Michael, Elizabeth K. Ralph. Philadelphia 16 Dec 1971'. With Hood's occasional pencilled margin markings to text. . Overall book condition is Very Good. Size: 6.25 x 9.25 inches (16 x 23 cm). Hardback. Printed pages: xi, 226. Seller Inventory # 1214A065

Bibliographic Details

Title: Dating Techniques for the Archaeologist [...

Publisher: The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Publication Date: 1971

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

Signed: Signed by Author

Edition: 1st Edition.

About this title

Synopsis:

Modern dating methods have revolutionized the placing in time of prehistoric events, and many earlier estimates have been completely revised: "the end of the Ice Age has been brought forward in time, the beginning of urbanization has been pushed back...." Yet there are still uncertainties and controversies, and a large number of archaeologists are not sufficiently well acquainted with the latest techniques. This book attempts to remedy the situation by discussing the technicalities of the tools presently available for accurate dating.

The book opens with a detailed presentation of C14 dating which includes a summary of its development and explanation of the method, information on collecting, packaging, labeling, and description of samples, pretreatments, laboratory methods, and interpretation of C14 dates. Archaeological applications of tree-ring data as well as the methods involved in archaeomagnetic dating (which is rapidly becoming one of the significant methods of dating fire ceramic objects) and the thermoluminescent dating of pottery are then considered. Subsequent chapters treat the basic principles, sample-gathering methods, and measurement techniques of fission track dating, potassium-argon dating (it was K-Ar measurements on volcanic rock that first determined the exact age of certain hominoid remains discovered by L. S. B. Leakey in the Olduvai Gorge), and obsidian hydration dating—which has aroused great interest and enthusiasm due to its wide range of application in archaeological analysis and its low cost. While all of these techniques are still in the process of development and refinement, enough is known to make it imperative for archaeologists in the field and in the laboratory to be aware of them.

This is essentially a fieldbook for "diggers": it will give the archaeologist enough information so that he collects and prepares his samples properly, and provides ample references so that he may further pursue each dating method.