How can archeologists accurately date their findings?

Question

Radiocarbon dating, right? How does that work, and how can we ensure its accuracy?

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

Accuracy is an expectations management exercise.

It’s one thing to say “That wooden artifact is 4000 years old”, and a completely different thing to say “That bowl was made on September 27 in 1976 BCE at three in the afternoon”. The second clearly has more precision, absolutely impossible precision. The first implies a ±50 year precision, which is more plausible. Once you have the right expectation, other techniques like examining soil layers can give corroborating evidence that your radiocarbon dating is correct.