A New Approach to Archaeological Dating Using Geomagnetic Field Modelling

地磁场的细节记录在烧制的考古材料中，如窑、炉、陶器、砖和瓦。由于地磁场随时间变化，这些信息可以通过实验恢复并用作测年工具。目前在英国，只有在原地的材料可以用这种方法测定年代，因为只有磁场的方向变化是已知的（不像在许多其他国家，整个矢量是已知的）。目前的做法是使用由数据简化到参考位置构造的参考曲线，并在与曲线比较之前以同样的方式对磁性数据进行简化。这是因为地磁场在空间和时间上都有变化。虽然这是有效的，但位置的变化引入了错误。我们建议采取一种不同的方法，通过制作一个专门为英国的地磁场模型来进行考古测年。这意味着可以生成英国任何位置的方向和强度信息，并用于确定材料的年代。模型中包含的数据将来自现有的数据库、文献，最重要的是来自年代久远的考古材料的新实验结果。目前有最小的强度数据，因此这将是实验工作的重点。微波法将用于确定由商定合作者提供的英国过期样品的磁场强度。最终的产出将是英国的一个测年工具，适用于所有烧毁的考古材料。一旦在英国建立，这种类型的模型就可以在全球范围内应用。

Details of the geomagnetic field are recorded in fired archaeological material such as kilns, hearths, pottery, bricks and tiles. As the geomagnetic field varies over time this information can be experimentally recovered and used as a dating tool. Currently in the UK only in situ material can be dated this way as only the directional variations of the magnetic field are known (unlike in many other countries where the full vector is known). Current practise is to use a reference curve constructed from data reduced to a reference location, and to reduce the magnetic data in the same way before comparing with the curve. This is because the geomagnetic field varies spatially as well as temporally. Whilst this works, the change in position introduces errors. We propose to take a different approach to archaeomagnetic dating by producing a geomagnetic field model specifically for the UK. This will mean that directional and intensity information for ANY UK location can be generated and used to date material. The data to be included in the model will come from already existing databases, literature and most importantly new experimental determinations from well dated archaeological material. At present there is minimal intensity data so this will be the focus of experimental work. The microwave method will be used to determine the intensity of the field from dated UK samples supplied by agreed collaborators. The final output will be a dating tool for the UK that will be applicable for all burnt archaeological material. Once established in the UK this type of modelling can then be applied globally.