Relative dating methods are techniques used to determine the chronological order of archaeological or geological events and artifacts without providing a precise numerical age. These methods establish whether one object or event is older or younger than another. Key principles include the Law of Superposition, which states that in undisturbed stratigraphic sequences, older layers are found beneath younger ones. Common methods include stratigraphy, analyzing the layers of soil and sediment; seriation, ordering artifacts based on changes in their stylistic attributes over time; and typology, classifying artifacts into types and arranging them chronologically. Other techniques like fluorine dating (measuring fluorine absorption in bones) and pollen dating (analyzing pollen sequences) also provide relative age. While not yielding absolute dates, relative dating is crucial for establishing a chronological framework, understanding sequences of cultural change, and contextualizing finds in archaeology and paleoanthropology, especially when absolute dating is not feasible.