Archaeological Methods (1) Flashcards
What is a site survey?
Aka site reconnaissance; the process of discovering the location of archaeological materials
What is a pedestrian survey?
walking back and forth in straight lines called transects
Describe shovel testing.
involves digging small test pits to determine if there are sites below the surface
What are remote sensing methods? Give two types.
Non-invasive methods of locating sites applied from a distance;
aerial photography/satellite imaging and Lidar
What is Lidar?
light detection and ranging; uses pulsed laser light to measure distance to earth surface
What are three non-invasive geophysical techniques?
magnetic resistivity, electrical resistivity, and ground penetrating radar
What is side scan sonar?
scanning that can be used to scan the sea floor
Define stratigraphy.
The study of how different layers of sediments and soils, artifacts and fossils are laid down in successive deposits
Compare artifacts, features, and ecofacts.
Artifacts are portable objects manufactured by humans or hominins.
Features are non-portable items made by humans, or a combo of artifacts and ecofacts.
Ecofacts are organic items that reflect human activity.
