Izotopy pro datování a jejich další využití

Some isotopes of elements (carbon, nitrogen and oxygen) are currently successfully used to determine the age of many natural resources and objects that originated from human activity. For dating carbon-containing samples, a radiocarbon method is suitable and found utilization in archaeological and conservation-restoration practice. If this dating is complemented by an isotopic analysis of carbon and nitrogen, other useful information can be obtained, such as the eating habits of the individuals under investigation, the local origin of the sample, etc. Isotopic oxygen analysis then indicates the mobility of these individuals over the course of their lives, etc. The paper briefly describes the principle of isotopic methods with an emphasis on the radiocarbon dating method and gives a brief overview of methods of less common nuclear chronology (geochronology), a method for determining the age of mineralogical and geological samples, which can be also commonly found in museums. Examples of the use of isotopic dating methods in research works of the Institute of Archaeology and Museology of the Charles University of MU are given.