Dating systems are methods used to determine the age of objects, events, or periods in history. They help historians and archaeologists understand when things occurred and how they relate to one another. Common dating systems include radiocarbon dating, which measures the decay of carbon-14 in organic materials, and dendrochronology, which uses tree rings to date wooden objects. There are two main types of dating: absolute dating and relative dating. Absolute dating provides a specific age or date, while relative dating places events in chronological order without exact dates. Both systems are essential for constructing timelines in various fields, including geology and anthropology.