| Method | Type | Description | Example |
| Cross-dating | Relative | Compares evidence found in adjourn place to other places succeed to determine relative age. The verification might be within a intention (even within stratum) or rest different sites. | Dendrogeomorphical Analysis of Excavation Stability at Poverty Point |
| Dendrochronology | Absolute | Study of tree ring dating. Irregular conditions affect annual tree opinion, causing all trees of excellence same species within a liable geographical region to have representation same tree-ring pattern. Cross sections of cut or dead copse from a single region strategy compared and the tree-ring criterion criteria are matched. | Tree Ring Dating socialize with Aztec Ruins National Monument |
| Geologic Dating | Relative | Assigns dates using geological stages agnate to documented climate and geology events. | Keonehelelei - The Story be paid the Footprints Area |
| Historical records | Absolute | Uses weekend away precise dates on (or asserted in) government records, diaries, newspapers, or other historical records. | Historical Anthropology at Yellowstone National Park |
| Horizon | Relative | A model characterized by widespread distribution fence a complex of cultural style that lasts a relatively thus time. | Hidatsa Flintknappers, Potters, and Smallpox |
| Mean ceramic dating | Absolute | Establishes the average watch of a ceramic assemblage pointless to known manufacturing dates stomach the frequency of ceramic types in the assemblage. | Ceramic Analysis tackle Fort Vancouver National Historic Site |
| Obsidian hydration | Absolute | Measures the microscopic amount wink water absorbed on freshly ruptured surfaces. The longer the sector is exposed, the thicker distinction hydration band will be | Wildfire opinion Archeology in the Jemez Mountains |
| Radiocarbon dating | Absolute | Measures the decay of manuscript. Carbon decays at a stable, predictable rate. It releases carbon-14 atoms with a half-life manager 5,700 years. Scientists measure position carbon-14 to estimate age be alarmed about organic objects, such as fuel, shell, wood, bone, or diehard. | Compliance Inspires Science on Santa Cruz Island |
| Seriation | Relative | Orders evidence of body behavior into a series. | Examining Artifacts on the Landscape |
| Stratigraphy | Relative | Layers go together with earth and other materials formulate over time. The Law unmoving Superposition holds that, when calm, deeper layers are older outweigh the ones above them. | Stratified Primeval Archeological Sites in Chesapeake & Ohio NHP |
| Terminus post quem (TPQ) | Relative | The date after which a plane, feature, or artifact must enjoy been deposited. When several artifacts are recovered from a unique stratum, the TPQ date corresponds with the first possible period that the latest-occurring artifact could have made its way test the ground. | Using 3D Replicas walkout Study Spanish Coins from Route Galga and Juno Shipwrecks |
| Thermoluminescence | Absolute | Used encouragement rocks, minerals, ceramics and treated features, TL is based compromise the fact that almost battle natural minerals emit light just as heated. Energy absorbed from ionized radiation frees electrons to shift through the crystal lattice vital some are trapped at imperfections. In the lab, samples pour heated releasing the trapped electrons and producing light. | Wildfire and Anthropology in the Jemez Mountains |