相そう対たい年ねん代だい

noun

relative age

Technical term used in archaeology, geology, and related fields to describe the age of an object or stratum relative to another, rather than in absolute years. Often contrasted with 絶対年代 (absolute age).

See also: 絶対年代

• この地ち層そうの相そう対たい年ねん代だいは、上うえの層そうより古ふるいことが分わかる。

  The relative age of this stratum can be seen to be older than the layer above it.

• 考こう古こ学がくでは、遺い物ぶつの相そう対たい年ねん代だいを層そう位い学がくで推すい定ていする。

  In archaeology, the relative age of artifacts is estimated through stratigraphy.