Arch. Quiz 2 Flashcards
How does geomorphology work?
looking at various processes that affect landscapes, classifying and analyzing landforms, considering both short and long-term events, studying and visualizing landforms, and the impact of climate
How can geomorphology disipline archaeology?
It forces archaeologists to consider a multitude of factors when studying the land.
What are common geological formation processes?
weathering, deposition, plate tectonics, volcanos, partial markings, and magmatic differentiation
What are the different ways archaeologists can think about site formation processes
cultural processes, natural processes, taphonomy, post-depositional processes, spatial analysis, chronological context, or cultural landscape
Cultural Depositional Process Components
construction, discarding, ritual activities
Disturbance Process Components
natural events, human activities, bioturbation (movement of soil and artifacts)
Reuse Process Components
reoccupation, repurposing, cultural memory
What are the common archaeological timescales?
BC, AD, CE, BCE, BP
BC
“before Christ”, e.g., 3200 BC.
AD
anno Domini, “in the year of the Lord”: from the year after the birth of Christ, e.g., AD 1066.
CE
“Common Era”: the same as AD, except without
religious connotation or privilege.
BCE
“Before Common Era”: the same as BC, avoiding religious connotation.
BP
Before Present”: AD 1950 arbitrarily selected as the zero point.
Common Relative Dating techniques techniques
Stratigraphy, Seriation, Typology, Cross-Dating
How does Stratigraphy work?
analyzing the sequence of layers, and establishing a relative timelines
How does Seriation work?
arranging artifacts in a sequence based on changes in style or frequency over time. By observing the progression of design or technology, researchers can infer relative ages.
How does Typology work?
classifies artifacts into types based on their characteristics, such as form or function. By comparing artifact types across sites, archaeologists can deduce relative ages based on known chronological sequences.
How does Cross-Dating work?
comparing artifacts or features from different sites or contexts that share similar characteristics. If two sites contain similar items from known chronological contexts, they can be inferred to date to the same period.
What are the common Absolute Dating techniques?
Radiocarbon (C-14), Dendrochronology (Tree-Ring), Thermoluminescence, Potassium-Argon, Uranium Series, OSL
How does C-14 Dating work?
measures the decay of carbon-14 in organic materials. All living organisms absorb carbon-14, and when they die, this isotope begins to decay at a known rate (half-life of about 5,730 years).
How does Tree-Ring Dating work?
uses the growth rings of trees to establish precise calendar dates. Each ring corresponds to a year of growth, and patterns of wide and narrow rings can be correlated with other trees to create a timeline.
How does Thermoluminescence Dating work?
dates crystalline materials (like pottery) that have been heated. When these materials are heated, they release trapped electrons. The accumulated charge can be measured to determine when the item was last heated.
How does Potassium-Argon Dating work?
measures the decay of potassium-40 to argon-40 in volcanic rock.
How does Uranium-Series dating work?
analyzes the decay of uranium isotopes in calcium carbonate materials, like stalactites or shell deposits.
How does Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) work?
dates the last time sediment was exposed to light. When sediment grains are buried, they accumulate energy from radioactive decay. By stimulating these grains with light, the energy can be released, allowing researchers to determine when the sediment was last exposed
Pros and cons of relative and absolute dating techniques
Relative Dating is useful for establishing the sequence of events and is often more accessible but lacks precision.
Absolute Dating offers specific age estimates and is scientifically robust but can be cost-prohibitive and limited by material types.
What are the roles of typology in archaeology?
Classification of data, chronological sequencing, cultural interpretation, facilitating comparisons, supporting theoretical frameworks, Facilitating communication
Differences between Morphological types vs. temporal types vs. functional types
Morphological Types emphasize physical characteristics and aesthetics, providing insights into style and technology.
Temporal Types focus on the chronological context, aiding in dating and understanding cultural evolution.
Functional Types center on the intended use of artifacts, offering a view of daily life and cultural practices.
Methodologies for creating morphological typologies
a combination of careful observation, comparative analysis, statistical techniques, and contextual understanding.
Archaeological cultures vs. archaeological periods vs. archaeological phases
Archaeological Cultures: Focus on the distinctive material culture and practices of specific groups.
Archaeological Periods: Broad chronological divisions that encompass significant changes in human history and can include multiple cultures.
Archaeological Phases: Specific time frames within a period that highlight distinct cultural traits or changes within a culture.
Roles of museums and digital curation in archaeology
preserving and sharing cultural heritage, and making it accessible to a wider audience
How can experimental archaeology be scientific?
archaeological research attempts to replicate and investigate past phenomena with the aim of testing hypotheses and thereby generate new research questions.
Examples of the wide range of problems experimental archaeology can address
Tool production and use, food preparation and cooking, architecture, agriculture, pottery, human bahavior, transportation and trade, environmental adaptation, ritual practices
Why is flintknapping important in archeology?
It helps us understand the roles people played in the past, who makes these tools? who uses them? what is its’s purpose due to shape
How does microwear analysis work and the types of problems it can address
helps illuminate the functional aspects of artifacts, providing insights into the daily lives, technologies, and cultural practices of past societies. By examining the microscopic wear on tools, researchers can better understand how ancient peoples interacted with their environment and utilized their resources.
What is Ethnoarchaeology?
the study of contemporary peoples
to determine how human behavior is translated into the
archaeological record.
What is Paleoethnobotany?
the study of the relationship between ancient humans and plants, and how they interacted in ecological and behavioral ways
what are common forms of flora analysis in archaeology?
macro and micro botanical remains,
How does palynology work?
studies of fossil pollen grains and
spores to reconstruct climates and human behavior.
What are the types of archeological problems palynology can address?
reconstructing past environments, identifying changes in vegetation due to human activity, understanding ancient land use practices, determining dietary patterns of past societies, and providing chronological context for archaeological sites by analyzing pollen preserved in sediment layers,
What is the difference between Macro and micro botanical remains?
Micro: remains too
small to see without a
high-magnification
microscope, usually 5-
200 microns in size
Macro: non-microscopic plant
remains recovered from an archaeological site.
What is the difference between Pollen and phytoliths
Pollen: a fine powdery substance,
consisting of microscopic grains. The wind, insects, or other animals transport pollen.
Phytoliths: plant skeleton
Common types of macro botanical contexts
Coprolite, wattle-and-daub, shipwrecks,
mudslides, and wells, wattle-and-daub walls, and
ceramics.
What is zoo archeology?
the study of the animal remains from archaeological
sites.
Common forms of faunal analysis in archaeology
Faunal assemblage, size class,
Number of identified specimens (NISP) vs. minimum number of individuals (MNI)
Number of identified specimens (NISP) –The raw
number of identified bones (specimens) per species
Minimum number of individuals (MNI) – The
smallest number of individuals necessary to account
for all identified bones.
Common types of zooarchaeological contexts
Animal dung and bedding layers, Waste dumps, Ritual pits, Slaughter waste, Kitchen waste,
Fine- vs. course-grained assemblages
Fine-grained assemblages, the result of a single occupation
Coarse-grained assemblages, the result of overlapping, repeated occupations over a long period
Paleoethnobotany and zooarchaeology commonalitie
focus on material remains, and contextual analyses allow for a holistic interpretation of ancient subsistence practices and environmental interactions
