The following manuscript will be posted on the web for review purposes
for the next two weeks. I welcome any and all comments and additions,
examples, etc. It can be found at:

http://wwwehlt.flinders.edu.au/wha/timelag.html

One conclusion is that if ceramics are used blindly in dating a site, the
date will be a generation earlier (i.e., 20-30 years) than the associated
materials. It challenges the ways in which sites are analyzed and
interpreted.


Dating Historical Sites: The Importance of Understanding Time Lag in the
Acquisition, Curation, Use, and Disposal of Artifacts
WILLIAM HAMPTON ADAMS
ABSTRACT
Each object has a lifespan in which it is made, transported, marketed,
used, and discarded. Despite knowing this obvious fact, historical
archaeologists too often treat objects as if these were discarded
immediately after manufacture. Studies from several locations indicate
that ceramic artifacts last 20-30 years in a household before being
discarded. Ceramics can be poor sources for dating sites if used without
considering the cultural context in which they are used, yet ceramics are
the artifact class used most often in dating sites. This article examines
time lag of artifacts found in archaeological deposits.