Radiocarbon dating, or the C-14 Method.
This is based on radioactive carbon, a constant quantity of which exists in every living thing. When an animal or plant dies, the radioactivity starts to diminish at a known rate. By measuring the amount of radioactive carbon that remains we can determine when the plant or animal died.

Shoreline displacement chronology
Dating by shoreline displacement chronology is based on post-glacial isostatic uplift. As the land rose, inhabitants continued to try to live down below, closer to the shoreline. Thus, the oldest dwelling sites remained uppermost as the sea level dropped. In this way we are able to know the order of ages of the Stone-Age dwelling sites, with the oldest ones located highest above sea level.

Typology
Typology is the traditional method of dating artefacts, in which we trace the development of form and decorative themes in a type of object over time. Some objects can be assigned dates by the context of their discovery. By observing form and ornamentation, we can tell which objects are younger and older than the dated artefact.

Dating by coins
To date findings by coins, the earliest date of the whole group of artefacts discovered is set according to the mint date of the newest coin.

Thermoluminescence
Thermoluminescence dating is used for objects that contain inorganic soil and were heated at some point in time. The item, perhaps a piece of pottery, is heated again, and from the thermal radiation that is released, we can measure the time since the object was first heated.

Dendrochronological dating
In dendrochronological dating we compare sequences of trees' annual growth rings. In Finland these have been discovered beginning from the late prehistoric period. The number of annual rings indicates the age of the item being dated.

Varved-clay method
With the varved-clay method, we study the sediment layers built up on the bottoms of swamps and bodies of water and use these to date the natural history of an area and the human impact upon it.