Scientific Dating of Pleistocene Sites

Foreword

Alex Bayliss

These guidelines provide advice on best practice for the use of scientific dating on Pleistocene sites. They are applicable to all archaeological projects but are aimed primarily at those undertaken as part of the planning process. Pleistocene sites typically produce limited material that is suitable for dating. Some of the methods that can be employed are familiar to those working in later periods (e.g. Radiocarbon Dating), although special considerations for their effective use may apply. Other methods (e.g. The ’Vole Clock‘) are only used in the Pleistocene.

Historic England’s ‘Curating the Palaeolithic’ guidance (Historic England 2023, section 7) outlines the key Pleistocene deposits within which Palaeolithic remains may be found. Many of these deposits are suitable for scientific dating. The selection of appropriate techniques is key, given the available types of datable material: its taphonomic relationship to the archaeological objectives of the project and the expected time-range of the site. Different strands of evidence can be explicitly combined using Bayesian chronological modelling, and the resultant chronologies can be validated, not only by comparison to relative dating from stratigraphy, but also by employing multiple scientific dating techniques.

Above all, it is important to seek expert advice at an early stage in the project, as some of the techniques applicable in this timeframe require on-site sampling by dating specialists. All laboratories will be happy to advise on applying their technique to Pleistocene deposits and will welcome the opportunity to discuss sample selection and potential methods of cross-checking their results.

It is by working together with a range of specialists that you will provide the best chronology possible for your site.

Please refer to this document as:
Grant, M. and Marshall, P. (eds) 2025. Scientific Dating of Pleistocene Sites: Guidelines for Best Practice. Historic England Advice and Guidance HEAG325. (Historic England, London).

This document has been edited by Michael Grant (University of Southampton) and Peter Marshall (Historic England), with specialist contributions by Alex Bayliss and Zoe Outram (Historic England), David Bridgland (Durham University), Alistair Pike and Chuang Xuan (University of Southampton), Geoff Duller (Aberystwyth University), Kirsty Penkman (University of York), Rupert Housley and Ian Matthews (Royal Holloway, University of London) and Danielle Schreve (University of Bristol).