10
Professor at the dig in Jordan told me to trust the soil layers, not the carbon dating results
Six months later, a pottery shard from a deeper layer matched a known style that carbon dating on the upper layer said should be older, so I guess he was right to question the dates, has anyone else had a professor give bad advice on site?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
the_rose1mo ago
Oh I feel this one, "some professors get too attached to their pet theories" is exactly right. My advice is to always take notes in your field journal with a pencil, not a pen, so you can actually cross-check what the prof says against the stratigraphy later without feeling like you're calling them out in the moment.
5
joelwells1mo ago
Heard a similar story from a buddy who dug in Turkey, where his professor kept insisting that a certain type of pottery had to be from the Iron Age based on style alone. Turned out the carbon dating on the bones right next to it showed it was actually hundreds of years older, which totally embarrassed the guy in front of the whole field team. I guess some professors get too attached to their pet theories, even when the dirt is telling them otherwise.
2