Dating in archaeology is the process of assigning a chronological value to an event in the past. Chronological value can also be considered at different scales. Ordinal scale, often called relative, specifies older or younger but not the distance between events.

Why is time and date important in archaeology?

The dating of remains is essential in archaeology, in order to place finds in correct relation to one another, and to understand what was present in the experience of any human being at a given time and place. Inscribed objects sometimes bear an explicit date, or preserve the name of a dated individual.