Physics and archaeology

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After a general survey of the way in which physics,and indeed chemistry, has opened new vistas archeology these lectures will focus on age determination.Here physics has played a crucial role in providing a timescale prior to recorded history , the latter beginnig about 5000 years ago with the First Dynasty of Egypt and the earliest pyramid. The physics-based timescale was initially provided by radiocarbon dating and this showed the early phases of Neolithic civilisation, e.g.,the earliest Jericho, to have been substiantially more ancient than had been conjectured. Further back in time than the 50000-year limit of that technique other radioisotope methods have been used, as well as electron spin resonance and luminescence; these have been espacially important in dating early human development, notably in throwing light on the relationship of anatomically-modern humans of the Neanderthals. In particular luminescence dating (both thermoluminescence and optically-stimulated luminescence) will be discussed, not only in application to the remote past but also use in checking the authenticity of art ceramics. Mention will also be made of the involment of magnetism in archaeology both for dating and for location of buried remains..

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