ABOUT
Scientific dating is one of the major contributions of science in the field of Cultural Heritage since it provides an absolute measure of time for objects and events in the past, in terms of actual calendar years. Age determination of cultural events, human and animal remains, objects, and landscape changes using science-based methods has traditionally been and still is a key aspect in the study of Cultural Heritage, being at the same time the cornerstone application of the field of Archaeometry. The mission of this research group is to practice both fundamental research and routine dating applications in Archaeology and Paleoenvironment. The main techniques used for absolute dating by the laboratory are those of Radiocarbon and Stimulated Luminescence. NCSR “Demokritos” is the only academic institution in the country that has established since the 1980s, a pioneer laboratory of Radiocarbon Dating unique in Greece and one among very few in Southeast Europe. The aim is two-fold:
1) To improve the precision and applicability of the techniques to diverse materials and integrate information technologies and computer methods in the archaeological science.
2) to provide series of reliable dates for monitoring the human evolution and cultural developments and to reconstruct the environment within which these changes happened.
Additionally, the determination of the origin of marble and its movement for sculpturing and architecture in Antiquity is also an important research and application activity of the group.