Misdating

Misdating refers to the incorrect assignment of a date to an event, artifact, document, or other object. It arises when the inferred age does not reflect the true time of origin, due to limitations or errors in dating methods, contamination, or misinterpretation of contextual evidence. Misdating can affect archaeology, geology, and historical scholarship, and it is distinct from deliberate forgery or calendar changes, which are handled separately.

Causes include technical errors in measurement or calibration; contamination of samples with younger or older material; using an inappropriate dating method for the material or time span; misinterpreting stratigraphic relationships; calendar transitions (for example, Julian to Gregorian) or transcription mistakes; and biased or incomplete datasets. For historical documents, misdating can also result from interpolation of paleographic clues, insufficient provenance, or reliance on single sources.

Approaches to prevent and correct misdating include dating with multiple independent techniques (for example radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology, thermoluminescence, uranium-series dating), cross-checking with well-established calibration curves, and applying statistical models that combine evidence with prior information. In archaeology and geology, corroboration from stratigraphy and typology is common; in history, researchers use paleography, provenance, and archival context.

Impact of misdating can include revisions of chronologies that alter understandings of cultural development, technological change, trade networks, or the timing of events. As dating methods improve and new data emerge, dates are routinely re-evaluated to refine historical and scientific timelines.