The analysis of the strata below the grave and the extraction of any datable artifacts is not possible with out greatly disturbing the cemetery. No logs or timbers are used in the grave except for possibly the coffin to which we do not have access, so dendrochronology can not be used. Radiocarbon dating requires an organic sample which, again, is not available and this absolute dating process is not effective for dates less than 400 years ago. Potassium-argon dating, which is used to date volcanic rocks 80,000 years old or older and uranium series dating, which is associated with travertine at least 10,000 years old are also not applicable. Fission-track dating analyzes the damage caused by the division of uranium-238 atoms to determine age. Although the headstone might contain uranium-238, fission-track dating would only provide the age of the stone and not of the gravesite. Thermoluminescence dating, electron spin resonance dating, and archaeomagnetic dating all involve artifacts that have been baked or burned. Optical dating would also not be of use because it tests artifacts that have been exposed to light and then
The analysis of the strata below the grave and the extraction of any datable artifacts is not possible with out greatly disturbing the cemetery. No logs or timbers are used in the grave except for possibly the coffin to which we do not have access, so dendrochronology can not be used. Radiocarbon dating requires an organic sample which, again, is not available and this absolute dating process is not effective for dates less than 400 years ago. Potassium-argon dating, which is used to date volcanic rocks 80,000 years old or older and uranium series dating, which is associated with travertine at least 10,000 years old are also not applicable. Fission-track dating analyzes the damage caused by the division of uranium-238 atoms to determine age. Although the headstone might contain uranium-238, fission-track dating would only provide the age of the stone and not of the gravesite. Thermoluminescence dating, electron spin resonance dating, and archaeomagnetic dating all involve artifacts that have been baked or burned. Optical dating would also not be of use because it tests artifacts that have been exposed to light and then