Glossary:Cation Ratio Dating

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Cation ratio dating
A now largely discredited relative dating technique that has been used to date rock carvings and engravings. It depends on the principle that cations of certain elements are more soluble than others; they leach out of rock varnish more rapidly than the less soluble elements, and their concentration decreases over time.

Related Words: Cation, Leaching, Relative dating

Source
Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. (2000) Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN: 0-500-28147-5

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