Stratigraphy is the oldest of the relative dating methods that archaeologists use to date things. Stratigraphy is based on the law of superposition--like a layer cake, the lowest layers must have been formed first.

What are stratigraphic relationships?

Stratigraphic relationships are the relationships created between contexts in time, representing the chronological order in which they were created. One example would be a ditch and the back-fill of said ditch.

What is stratigraphic method?

Stratigraphy is the study of layered materials (strata) that were deposited over time. ... By digging from the top downward, the archaeologist can trace the buildings and objects on a site back through time using techniques of typology (i.e., the study of how types change in time).