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thermoluminescence


ABSOLUTE. Thermoluminescence (TL) - method that relies indirectly on radioactive decay.* When an object is heated, it's TL clock is set at zero. Overtime the electons build up and when reheated, they release a glow. The glow is measured to find an absolute date for the object.

TL is used for ceramics (pottery) and also stone tools. This process is effect for discerning fakes like ancient chinese Tang dynasty horses.

Works back 100,000 years (ca.)

*definations from Archeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice by Colin Refrew and Paul Bahn. © 2000



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