Archeology, Archaeology
(a glossary of archeological terms particularly related to the field of research that can tell us about our origins and our remote past)
It is often used synonymously with "prehispanic".
It takes advantage of the fact that all organic materials contain mesurable amounts of radioactive carbon (Carbon 14).
At death, the radiocarbon begins to disintegrate at a known rate. By measuring the amount of radioactive carbon left, scientists can determine how long ago the organism died.
The latest versions of the technique can date objects up to 70,000 years old.
Often artifacts or sites are described as earlier or later than other artifacts or sites.
This instrument is used to measure the variable resistivity of soils; that is, the amount of resistance to the flow of electricity within it.
A soil’s resistivity is a product of the amount of moisture in the soil and its distribution. It varies considerably, and these variations can reflect the presence of buried archaeological features.
Ditches and pits, for example, hold a greater amount of moisture than the surrounding natural soil, and so they are less resistant; whereas, solid features like walls are more resistant.
It was used as a commemorative, or for a similar function, on which was carved an inscription or other design.
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