In a paragraph or two, tell me what you think is the best way to date something and why.  Is it artifacts, is it written documentation, something different, or combination of things?   Again, no right or wrong answer as I just want your opinion

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The chapter begins by discussing the metallurgy of the day and the beautiful output, ca 500 BCE if I have my dates correct.  Later in the chapter, the term Khmer is used once the term Funan started to slowly dissipate for lack of usage.  It seemed almost as if the economic or political shift almost eliminated a whole terminology or a whole...ideology/culture (for lack of a better word).  This got me thinking, as we are all historians in this class, what do you think would be a better way to date a culture, a dynasty, or even an event?  

I wanted to say a written document of course, but then I have to think of the old adage that to the spoils go the victor.  These are the same people that get to write the history.  It is a primary document, but if the individual wants to change a word, or leave something out, that is to their discretion.  So, then I said, well it must be an artifact!  But I have to think about trade, think about proper dating systems and just how close we can get with radiocarbon dating or something of the sort.  That leads me to ask this:

In a paragraph or two, tell me what you think is the best way to date something and why.  Is it artifacts, is it written documentation, something different, or combination of things?   Again, no right or wrong answer as I just want your opinion!  I would say a mix of the first two and then coordinating with historians, archaeologists, architects, whoever it might be. 

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