New dating method allows for very precise dating of artifacts

A new way of dating archaeological objects has been found, using water to unlock their "internal clocks". Fired clay ceramics start to react chemically with atmospheric moisture as soon as it is removed from the kiln. Researchers believe they can pinpoint the precise age of materials like brick, tile and pottery by calculating how much its weight has changed.

news.bbc.co.uk...

this is great news, if it truly is accurate for dating artifacts.

I'd love to see "controversial" items re-dated to their true dates.

reply to post by warrenb
That's interesting stuff. Any area of archaeology that can offer secure dates will be great news. Although the article isn't particularly detailed, it sounds like a similar method to dating glass. Glass absorbs moisture over time at a known rate which can offer accurate dates. IIRC ceramic is some kind of 'second cousin' to glass...crystalline etc. There are pot sherds in N America estimated to be 4500ya, a lot of archaeologists etc would enjoy nailing the date if the process is adaptable as suggested. This is one armchair enthusiast that will enjoy following the progress

sounds pretty cool. I would like to see some of these ooparts dated to see what comes up.

As Kandinski said, it's always good to have another dating method.

Re the other two posts, exactly what "ooparts" (or "controverasial items")are you talking about?

There is no such thing as an "oopart" anyway, but even if there were, how would an artifact be classified as an "oopart" if there was no good date for it in the first place?

There would be no way to tell if it was "out of place," would there?

Please note that the article states that they "hope" to extend this method's range back to 10,000 years. Radiocarbon dating is good to better than five times that long.

10,000 years ain't squat, really.

The fact is, this method will be extremely useful in establishing with greater precision the dates of sites which have been previously dated by the pattern or style of ceramics found there. Pottery types were in the past used to date sites when no other method was available, and the study of pottery types has a long and distinguished history. Such great care has been taken in this study that it actually allows for dating a site by it's pottery.

If this method is correct to within a decade or so, it has the potential for making these previously known dates more precise.

Also, for pottery found that is a unique style not seen elsewhere, this method will help.

But the method, even if extended to 10,000 YBP, still cannot even be used to date the oldest pottery we know of. Google the Jomon Culture to see what I mean.

Harte