stratigraphy

Stratigraphy is a scientific discipline focused on describing rock successions and interpreting them within a time scale. It is fundamental to historical geology and has applications in fields like petroleum geology and archaeology.1

In archaeology, stratigraphy is crucial for dating artifacts and understanding the sequence of past human activities. The core principle is the law of superposition, which states that in undisturbed layers, older deposits are found at the bottom and younger ones at the top. Archaeologists use this to establish relative chronologies, meaning they can determine the age of one layer or artifact in relation to another found nearby.12

This principle was a key development in the 19th century, moving archaeology from simple treasure hunting to a more scientific discipline. Modern archaeology employs various dating techniques, including stratigraphy, alongside methods like radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology, to build a comprehensive picture of the past.324