Which dating method is often used in archaeological contexts for dating organic remains?

Dendrochronology is a dating method specifically used for determining the age of organic remains, particularly trees, by analyzing the pattern of tree rings. Each ring corresponds to a year of growth, and the thickness of each ring can provide information about environmental conditions during that time, allowing archaeologists to create a timeline of events. This method is highly effective for dating wooden artifacts or remains up to about 10,000 years old, making it invaluable in archaeological research, especially in contexts where precise dating of organic materials is necessary.

In contrast, radiometric dating is a broader category that can date a variety of materials, including inorganic ones, using the decay of radioactive isotopes, which may not always be applicable to organic materials specifically. Superposition refers to the geological principle where lower layers are older than upper layers but does not provide specific ages, and stratigraphy deals with the layering of sedimentary rocks or soils but also lacks precise dating capability for organic remains. Therefore, dendrochronology stands out as the most relevant method for dating organic remains in archaeology.