Understanding Dating Applications: Reply to Espenshade

Abstract

A recent critique (Espenshade, 2004) of an application of luminescence dating in New Mexico represents a misreading of the original work and a misunderstanding of how dates should be interpreted in archaeology. It is well known that the dating event (what is actually being dated) and the target event (what one wants to date) can differ. This difference accounts for the discrepancies noted in the New Mexico study and also makes problematic Espenshade's proposed solution.