Archaeomagnetic dating is a relative dating technique that is strongly dependent on the age control of the data used to construct the reference curves.In order to test the method, an archaeological structure from central Spain has been studied.
(resource) Archaeomagnetic dating is based on the use of known secular variation in the three components of the Earth’s magnetic field (Horizontal, Vertical and Intensity) to date burnt features that contain the fossil direction of these components of the field.
These three components are fossilised within burnt rocks (volcanics), sediments (fireplace), artefacts (pottery, FMR, bricks and heat retainers) as they cool within the Earth’s Magnetic Field.
Some data exists for New Zealand and Australia but these have mostly been recovered from comparative volcanic sequences and lake sediments and so until now no formal program had been established to build Archaeomagnetic Calibration Curves for the region.
Some nice information additional information from the University of Bradford (UK).
Read More Archaeomagnetic dating --dating archaeological and geological materials by comparing their magnetic data with known changes in the earth's magnetic field--has proved to be of increasing reliability in establishing behavioral and social referents of archaeological data.
The sixteen original papers in many cases represent the work of individuals who have been intimately involved with the development and refinement of archaeomagnetic dating techniques.
Archaeomagnetism has been utilised as a method for dating fired and heated archaeological material successfully for a number of decades.
However, in order for this method to work, the spatial behaviour of the Earth’s geomagnetic field must be understood for the archaeological period in question.
Also see information @ Archaeomagnetism What samples are we looking for?