seratsiooni

Seriation is a method used in archaeology and other historical sciences to arrange artifacts or other evidence in chronological order. It is based on the principle that styles and types of objects change over time, and that these changes tend to occur gradually and systematically. By observing the distribution of different artifact types within a collection of sites or in a stratigraphic sequence, archaeologists can infer a relative chronology. This means establishing which objects are older and which are younger, without necessarily assigning precise dates.

The process typically involves creating a matrix where rows represent individual archaeological sites or layers, and columns represent different artifact types. The goal is to arrange the rows and columns in such a way that the presence of a particular artifact type is concentrated in a contiguous block. This pattern suggests a gradual introduction and eventual disappearance of that type, allowing for the ordering of the sites or layers. Early forms of seriation were developed by Sir Flinders Petrie in Egypt and later refined by others like James Ford and Walter Taylor in North America. While seriation does not provide absolute dating, it is a crucial tool for establishing relative chronologies, understanding cultural development, and correlating sites across different regions. It is particularly useful when other dating methods, such as radiocarbon dating, are unavailable or unsuitable.