Which method does not provide an exact year but rather compares ages?

Relative dating is a method used in anthropology and archaeology that provides a way to determine the age of artifacts, fossils, or other remains in relation to one another, rather than giving a specific year or absolute age. This method works by examining the stratigraphy of a site or the sequence of layers in which objects are found. By understanding the layering (or stratification), scientists can infer which objects are older or younger than others based on their positions.

For example, if an artifact is found in a layer of soil that is under another layer containing a more recent artifact, it can be deduced that the first artifact is older. This type of dating is valuable for creating timelines and understanding the sequence of events in a given archaeological context, but it does not give precise dates, making it distinct from methods that aim for specific years.

Other methods mentioned have different functions: Absolute dating provides exact ages, Carbon dating is a specific type of absolute dating that measures the decay of carbon isotopes to determine age, and Seriation is related to the relative dating method but focuses specifically on changes in style or frequency of artifacts over time.