Dateerimise

Dateerimine, or dating, is the process of determining or assigning dates to objects, events, or records, enabling their placement within a chronological timeline. It is essential in fields such as archaeology, geology, paleontology, history, conservation, and archival science. The term stems from the general idea of giving dates to items.

Dating methods are typically divided into absolute dating and relative dating. Absolute dating provides numerical ages or definite date ranges, while relative dating places objects or events in sequence without specifying an exact year. Absolute methods include radiocarbon dating (carbon-14), which measures the decay of C-14 in organic material; dendrochronology, based on patterns in tree rings; thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence, which assess accumulated radiation in minerals since last heating or exposure; uranium-series dating; potassium-argon dating; and other radiometric techniques.

Relative dating methods include stratigraphy, which uses the layering of sediments or artifacts within a sequence; biostratigraphy, which relies on fossil assemblages to infer ages; and cross-dating, which links a site’s chronology to already dated objects or events. Dating historical documents often involves paleography (handwriting analysis), the dating of ink or parchment, and cross-dating with other dated sources.

Calibration and uncertainties are common, particularly for radiometric dates, where results are adjusted to calendar years using calibration curves. Limitations of dateerimine include sample preservation, contamination, methodological range constraints, and the applicability of a given method to a specific material or context.