archaeomagnetism
|ar-chae-o-mag-ne-tism|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrkiːoʊmæɡˈnɛtɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːkiːəʊmæɡˈnɛtɪzəm/
study of ancient magnetic records
Etymology
'archaeomagnetism' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the prefix 'archaeo-' (from Greek 'arkhaios' meaning 'ancient') with the noun 'magnetism' (from Greek 'magnētis' meaning 'magnetic stone').
'archaeomagnetism' was coined in the 20th century as archaeologists began applying magnetic study techniques to archaeological materials; 'magnetism' itself traces back through Latin and Old French to Greek 'magnētis'.
Initially the compound literally meant 'ancient magnetism'; over time it came to denote both the scientific study of past geomagnetic records in archaeological contexts and the dating techniques based on those records.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the scientific study of the record of the Earth's past magnetic field as recorded in archaeological materials (such as fired clay, hearths, and kiln remains).
Archaeomagnetism can reveal changes in the Earth's magnetic direction preserved in pottery and burned features.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a dating technique that uses the magnetic properties recorded in archaeological materials to estimate their age by comparing them with reference curves of past geomagnetic field changes.
Using archaeomagnetism, researchers dated the kiln remains to a period consistent with the site's other finds.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/04 06:58