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The article detailed the eighteenth-century archaeological work at the extinct Roman cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae. It focuses especially on the role of Swiss military engineer Carl Weber who oversaw the excavations at Herculaneum beginning in 1750 and insisted on keeping ground-plans and site notations in his diaries. Other notable people associated with the recovery of Roman antiquities including King Charles III of Spain and his wife Queen Maria Amalia Christina, Roman painter Camillo Paderni, and Spanish surveyor Rocco de Alcubierre. The author considers the archaeological methods used and the motivations of people involved in the excavations.

Focuses on the dating of bristlecone pine trees found in California. Method used for dating of the trees; Variations in size of the trees; Climatic conditions suitable for growth of the trees.

The article looks at the methods applied by several archaeologists to extend their observations on unearthed fragile specimens. It discusses the potassium-argon isotope dating system used by geologists in California to determine the age of Zinjanthropus, a manlike creature discovered in East Africa. It also offers information on the process used to date unearthed remains without destroying their chemical compositions such as thermoluminescence dating and the use of protons magnetometers.

The article reports that radiocarbon dating methods have immensely enhanced the claim that Jericho is the oldest city in the world. Based on preliminary report on materials from Kathleen M. Kenyon's excavations, a level above that of the first walled town dates from the period 8000 to 6000 B.C. This implies that the beginning of civilization dates back to a time when the Ice Age had not yet ended in northern Europe.