Carbon Dating.

[Benchwayze]

Does anyone understand carbon-dating?

Apparently a small statue has been discovered in France, that has carbon dated to 23,000 years old.

Being a layman, my question is:

How does carbon-dating indicate when something was carved, as opposed to merely dating the rock from which it was made?

Mystifies me I fear. Or am I being stupid?

:mrgreen:

 

[Racers]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiocarbon_dating

Pete

 

[StevieB]

Carbon dating requires carbon - thus rock cannot be carbon dated

Essentially carbon dating can only tell you when something died eg when a tree was felled and stopped incorporating carbon into its tissues. Thus if you carve something on an old piece of timber you are correct in that carbon dating will tell you the felling date of the tree, not the date of the carving.

Steve

 

[Benchwayze]

Then I guess that the statue was dated more by where it was found; that is at what level, if it was dug from the ground.
The article said the statue had been carbon dated.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/limestone-ven ... ml#KHVlCq9

Thanks folks.

And of course when we make something from quality hardwood we are essentially using 'old timber'. (At least I would hope so! 8) )

John :? :ho2

PS

I see it is possible to radio carbon date certain rocks, from the age of remnants of shells and other organic remains in the rock. So maybe that is what the article is talking about. Think I have a clearer picture now.
Thanks folks. I'm obliged.

 

[bugbear]

The article said the statue had been carbon dated.

Link?

My guess would be that organic material in the same sealed context as the statue was carbon dated
to provide the date.

BugBear

 

[John Brown]

Dunno. I went out with a girl called Diamond Lil once, though.
She was a bit of an allotrollop.

 

[Benchwayze]

Yeah, ok John! :lol: