Vinddatum

Vinddatum is a Dutch term meaning “date of discovery.” It is used primarily by geologists, paleontologists, archaeologists, and historians to indicate the exact date on which a particular specimen, artifact, fossil, or geological feature was first found by humans. The concept is important for establishing the chronological context of a find, especially when the age of the object itself is determined by scientific methods such as radiometric dating, stratigraphy, or typological analysis.

In practice, the vinddatum is recorded in field notes, excavation reports, museum accession records, and scientific publications. It is distinguishable from the object's formation date or its age as determined by laboratory analyses. While the formation date refers to when the material was originally created in nature, the vinddatum marks the point at which human observers became aware of its presence. Some researchers note that the vinddatum can be crucial for studies of historical patterns of exploration, trade routes, and the spread of technologies, as it provides a reference point for when a cultural or natural event entered the recorded history of human societies.

Vinddatum is often complemented by dates from other disciplines. For example, a fossil might have a Vinddatum of 1985 when it was unearthed, yet its scientific age could be millions of years old, determined via isotopic methods. The combination of vinddatum and formation date allows scholars to place both the natural history and the human discovery narrative into a comprehensive timeline.