Eversheds new technique allows researchers to directly radiocarbon date animal fat residue on pottery. His team is able to isolate compounds from samples of pottery that weigh as little as two grams and to detect the minuscule amount of fatty-acid carbon remaining in the residues left by milk, cheese, or meat.

Can you carbon date pottery?

What can be dated? For radiocarbon dating to be possible, the material must once have been part of a living organism. This means that things like stone, metal and pottery cannot usually be directly dated by this means unless there is some organic material embedded or left as a residue.

How do you identify a piece of pottery?

Some common marks include the studio where the piece was made, the potter who crafted the piece, and the signature of the artist who decorated it. A form number and identification of the clay type may also be included. Reference books can help you identify unfamiliar marks.

Can obsidian be dated?

Obsidian hydration dating (or OHD) is a scientific dating technique, which uses the understanding of the geochemical nature of the volcanic glass (a silicate) called obsidian to provide both relative and absolute dates on artifacts.

Can obsidian be radiometrically dated?

Obsidian hydration dating (OHD) is a geochemical method of determining age in either absolute or relative terms of an artifact made of obsidian.

Is fulper pottery always marked?

Although rarely dated, the pottery almost always carries Fulper marks, including ink stamps, in-mold and impressed logos, paper labels, and foil stickers. Because these marks were used for specific time periods, they can help identify production dates for individual pieces.