A thermoluminescent (TL) glow-curve peak occurs around 110°C for the mineral quartz. Its sensitivity may be changed by application of a radiation dose (termed the <i>pre-dose) followed by a heating of the quartz to 500°C; heating alone causes no sensitivity change. The enhancement observed (measured relative to the sensitivity of the peak prior to heating) is a measure of the magnitude of the pre-dose. For quartz extracted from pottery the sensitivity enhancement induced by laboratory heating records a <i>natural pre-dose, i.e. the accumulated dose experienced during archaeological burial. The latter quantity is used in TL age-determination and a test program is reported on the application of the pre-dose dating method to sites covering the Roman era in Britain forward to modern times.