Updated 10/26/98
Proximity of age determination to time slice:
Rank |
Criteria |
| 1 | Bracketing ages that are both within 1000 years of the target date (e.g. two C14 dates of 5110 and 6990 years BP for a target date of 6000 years BP), or at least one age within 100 years of the target date (e.g. one C14 date of 6100 years BP for a target date of 6000). |
| 2 | Bracketing ages, one within 1000 years of target date, and one within 2000 years of target date or one age within 200 years of target date. |
| 3 | Bracketing ages, both within 2000 years of target date or at least one age within 300 years of target date. |
| 4 | Bracketing ages, one within 2000 years, and one within 3000 years of the target date or one age within 400 years of the target date. |
| 5 | Bracketing ages, both within 3000 years of the target date, or one age within 500 years of the target date. |
| 6 | Bracketing ages, one within 3000 years and one within 4000 years of the target date, or one age within 600 years of the target date. |
| 7 | Bracketing ages, both within 4000 years of the target date, or one age within 700 years of the target date. |
| 8 | Bracketing ages, one within 4000 years, and one within 5000 years of the target date, or one age within 800 years of the target date. |
| 9 | Bracketing ages, both within 5000 years of the target date, or one age within 900 years of the target date. |
| 10 | No two ages within 5000 years of the target date, and no single age within 1000 years of the target date. |
Proximity of sample age to time slice:
Rank |
Criteria |
| 1 | Bracketing sample ages that are both within 100 years of target age (e.g. 5900 and 6010 for a target age of 6000 years BP) or at least one sample age with 25 years of the target age (e.g. 6025 years BP for a target age of 6000 years BP). |
| 2 | Bracketing sample ages, one within 100 years, and one within 200 years of the target age, or one sample age within 50 years of the target age. |
| 3 | Bracketing sample ages, both within 200 years of the target age, or one sample age within 75 years of the target age. |
| 4 | Bracketing sample ages, one within 200 years, and one within 300 years of target age, or one sample age within 100 years of the target age. |
| 5 | Bracketing sample ages, both within 300 years of the target age, or one sample age within 125 years of the target age. |
| 6 | Bracketing sample ages, one within 300 years, and one within 400 years of target age, or one sample age within 150 years of the target age. |
| 7 | Bracketing sample ages, both within 400 years of the target age, or one sample age within 175 years of the target age. |
| 8 | Bracketing sample ages, one within 400 years, and one within 500 years of the target age, or one sample age within 200 years of the target age. |
| 9 | Bracketing sample ages, both within 500 years of the target age, or one sample age within 225 years of the target age. |
| 10 | No Bracketing sample ages within 500 years of the target age, and no single sample age within 225 years of the target age. |