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How does stratigraphy help date ancient inscriptions?

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Neo-Assyrian clay tablet from the 7th century BC inscribed with dense cuneiform writing, known as the Flood Tablet from the Epic of Gilgamesh, displayed in the British Museum. — epigraphy The Flood Tablet, 11th cuneiform tablet in a series relating the Gilgamesh epic, from Nineveh, 7th century bce; in the British Museum, London.

In the context of epigraphy and historiography, stratigraphy serves as a vital tool for dating inscriptions discovered at archaeological sites.12

The application of stratigraphy relies primarily on the law of superposition, which posits that in any undisturbed deposit, the oldest layers are located at the lowest levels. By analyzing the stratigraphic position of an inscription—its specific layer relative to the surrounding soil, buildings, and other artifacts—archaeologists can establish a relative chronology for the object.32

This method is rarely used in isolation; rather, it functions as part of a broader archaeological context. When an inscription is excavated, its stratigraphic data is often combined with other dating techniques to improve accuracy, such as:

Radiocarbon dating: Used on adjacent organic remains found within the same stratigraphic layer.12
Stylistic and iconographic analysis: Examining the shape of the monument or the style of the script (paleographic dating) to corroborate the age suggested by the layer in which it was found.12

By situating an inscription within its physical, layered context, scholars can more reliably determine its age, especially when internal chronological markers are absent.12