---
title: "Carbon-14 Dating — AP Art History Definition & Exam Guide"
description: "Carbon-14 dating measures decaying radioactive carbon to date organic materials up to ~50,000 years old. It's how we date prehistoric art in AP Art History Unit 1."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-art-history/key-terms/carbon-14-dating"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Art History"
---

# Carbon-14 Dating — AP Art History Definition & Exam Guide

## Definition

Carbon-14 dating is a method used to determine the age of organic materials up to 50,000 years old. It relies on measuring the amount of radioactive carbon-14 remaining in an object.

## Related Study Guides

- [1.3 Theories and Interpretations of Prehistoric Art](/ap-art-history/unit-1/theories-interpretations-prehistoric-art/study-guide/CMzWdFaZwIYoikyZUatN)

## Review

### Related Terms

- Radiocarbon Dating: Another term for carbon-14 dating.
- Half-life: The time it takes for half of a radioactive substance (like carbon-14) to decay into its stable form.
- Dendrochronology: A dating method that uses tree rings to determine the age of wooden objects.