September’s topic is Use of Luminescence Dating in Archaeology.
When: 7:00 pm, Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Where: Room 110, Harned Hall, Saint Martin’s University, 5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, Washington
- Please note that a class is in session in Room 110 until 6:50 p.m., so we ask that you remain in the lobby until the class is dismissed.
- There is no charge to park on campus after 5:00 p.m. We suggest parking lots M and N for proximity to Harned Hall. (See attached map.)
- Driving directions and campus map:http://www.stmartin.edu/about/DrivingHere.aspx#Saint_Martins_Universitys_address http://www.stmartin.edu/about/SMUCampusMap.pdf
September’s topic is Use of Luminescence Dating in Archaeology.
Archaeologists are interested in chronological issues above all else. There are a number of dating methods employed in archaeology, some using artifact data themselves and some using methods derived from other sciences. Of the latter, radiocarbon is the most used and the best known, but the second most used is luminescence, which is far less familiar to the public. Luminescence dating is based in solid state physics, and it has a number of properties that make it attractive to both archaeology and earth and space sciences. In particular it directly addresses an event of interest, unlike radiocarbon which often relies on association.
Dr. James Feathers will discuss a number of novel applications in archaeology in which his laboratory has been engaged, including dating early human settlement in the New World, dating prehistoric structures, and resolving ceramic chronologies. Dr. Feathers is Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington (Seattle).
October Topic:
Information Science and Technology
by Professor Judy Cushing
The Evergreen State College