Space and Time during the Formative Period: An Introduction

Abstract

The basic principles of relative and absolute chronology are presented in this introduction as they form the foundation upon which the collection of papers, published in the present and subsequent issue of the Bulletin, base their chronological and cultural schemes. The goal here is to compare and contrast these principles with common misunderstandings and misuses. The need for empirical data for the construction of chronological sequences is stressed in order to place them within a single periodification scheme. Another topic of concern is a coherent terminology rather than the use of different terms with different meanings. Lastly, the papers in these two issues are focused on "The Formative Period: Recent Approaches and Evidence".