Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at 12:00 noon, free!

Two schools of archaeomagnetic (AM) dating have developed in North America. Both derived from the 1960s and 1970s research of Robert DuBois but diverged, taking on distinct identities in the 1980s. One school embraced mathematical and statistical rigor in curve construction and date estimation as a reaction to perceived subjectivity in DuBois’ procedures. The other continued and refined “subjective” approaches to AM dating, believing that statistical procedures were no more accurate and were in some cases flawed when compared with subjective dating results. The laboratory at OAS reflects the latter. Recent research has confirmed that “nonsensical” date ranges, produced by the former school, are putting the utility of AM dating at risk.

The Brown Bag talk will take place at the Center for New Mexico Archaeology at 12:00 noon in the CNMA library. Seating is limited. Admission is free.

The Center for New Mexico Archaeology (7 Old Cochiti Road) is located off of Caja del Rio Road, across from Challenge New Mexico on the way to the Santa Fe Municipal Golf Course. Take 599 to South Meadows Road, continue through the traffic circle west along the Frontage Road to Caja del Rio Road. CNMA is on the left-hand side of the road and is the large building with white sail-like skylights on the roof.