Optical dating is a rapidly developing technique, used primarily in the dating of sediments deposited in the last 500,000 or more years, and increasing numbers of Quaternary geologists, physical geographers, archaeologists, and anthropologists are now relying on the results. Written by one of the foremost experts on optical dating, this book aims to bring together in a coherent whole the various strands of research that are ongoing in the area. It gives beginners an introduction to the technique while providing experienced practitioners with a valuable source of up-to-date references. The text is divided into three parts: main text, technical notes and appendices. In this way the main text is accessible to researchers with a limited knowledge of physics, while the technical notes provide the details for anyone wishing to understand the techniques completely. The first part of the book presents basic notions and introduces the standard techniques, along with several illustrative case histories. The book then proceeds to discuss the limitations of the technique and the factors affecting reliability.