Radiocarbon Dating
Lindow man was found in a peat bog, where the acidic, oxygen-free conditions managed to slow down the rate at which the body decomposed. This has allowed scientists to examine his body through the use of radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon dating is a method of scientific dating (absolute dating) which provides exact information on the age of the artefact. Radiocarbon dating occurs when measuring how many carbon 14 atoms are present in organic material, and in the case of Lindow Man, how many are present within his bone and internal organs. This method of dating has a major limitation as it will not provide a date older than 60,000 years.
|
Results
By using this radiocarbon dating, Lindow Man was found to be 2,000 years old and dates from the Roman Era in Britain, between the years 2 BCE and 119 CE.