Questions tagged [archaeology]
The archaeology tag has no usage guidance.
15
questions
4
votes
1
answer
44
views
Can paleomagnetic techniques determine the exact direction of Earth's magnetic poles in the past, not just their polarity?
Since our planet's magnetic poles are not usually, precisely, lined up with the geographic poles of Earth's axis, and since they move around a lot, can paleomagneticists (is that a word?) determine ...
- 463
3
votes
0
answers
125
views
Is Radiocarbon dating flawed?
I posted this before on physics stack exchange, but it was deemed off topic, which is understandable, so I hope it won't be here.
Recently, I stumbled upon an article by an individual named A.M. ...
- 39
3
votes
0
answers
29
views
Calibration of OSL dates to calender year dates
I am trying to utilize a function that uses calibrated $^{14}C$ dates. However, my data consists of OSL dates, not $^{14}C$. Searching google scholars did not provide any useful results. Since OSL ...
- 131
4
votes
0
answers
37
views
Where did the heiltsuk's find obsidian?
The discovery of hearths and other carbon dated items on an island off the north east coast of Canada puts modern humans there 2,000 years before the Alaskan land bridge existed. The glaciers of ...
- 41
1
vote
0
answers
259
views
Is this milky quartz a stone age tool? [closed]
I found this piece of quartz at Benbo Mt Co. Sligo Ireland.There are many Megaliths in this area in the Dartry Mt range.Its 3 inches in length and appears to have been fashioned as a tool.I found it ...
- 49
1
vote
0
answers
33
views
How to be involved in paleontolgy as a non-earth scientist
I want to be involved in paleontology or archaeology but I don't intend to go back to school for either. I am aware of some opprotunities to volunteer on field studies but am hoping for more resources....
- 11
4
votes
3
answers
169
views
How do we know how much Uranium was in any given sample when it was deposited?
Concerning "Uranium-series dating", also known as "Uranium-thorium dating".
Uranium is present in deposits, "typically at levels of between a few parts per billion and few parts per million by ...
- 41
3
votes
2
answers
113
views
Odd Inuksuk-like objects
I found some huge objects that are way too big to be inuksuks, in my opinion.
The object on the right is very odd because the arms are not straight like they are in most images of inuksuks. and ...
- 153
3
votes
0
answers
36
views
What factors make Lake Turkana a great location for preserving fossils?
I am trying to figure out why Lake Turkana has yielded so many hominin fossils compared to other locations in the East African Rift Valley. One of the reasons is possibly the laying of sedimentary ...
- 339
3
votes
1
answer
294
views
Do archaeologists deliberately leave parts of sites untouched so that someone can come back later? [closed]
Thinking about all the new technologies and techniques that are available to archaeologists now compared to even 50 years ago, it occurred to me that there might be considerable benefit to leaving ...
- 131
3
votes
2
answers
499
views
What makes pollen varieties useful index fossils?
What makes pollen varieties useful index fossils? Should pollen not be a poor index fossil?
- 1,932
6
votes
2
answers
381
views
Are Pompeii and Herculaneum unique?
Has anyone ever found or gone looking for similar locations, i.e. volcanic eruption sites in which unfortunate victims – human and non-human – have been entombed in the volcanic ash, with the ...
- 402
8
votes
2
answers
303
views
Do fluctuations in radioactive isotope decay rates affect carbon dating techniques?
In 2010, Purdue University published a research paper[1] stating that their researchers had detected slight fluctuations in radioactive isotope decay rates "in synch with the rotation of the sun's ...
- 183
10
votes
1
answer
155
views
How far from basalt bedrock can magnetometic survey find archaeological features?
Magnetometry is used to find archaeological features such as stone walls or ancient hearth. But it usually cannot be used for archaeological prospection in areas where the bedrock is strongly magnetic....
- 956
13
votes
1
answer
405
views
Which are the biggest methodological differences between the archaeological and geological approaches to stratigraphy?
Stratigraphy, or study of rock or soil layers (strata), was originally introduced as a branch of geology. However, it is often applied in other disciplines, especially in archaeology and paleonthology....
- 956