Archaeology

Question 1

What is Archaeology?

Answer 1

The study of human history and prehistory through excavation and analysis of material remains

Question 2

List 3 Interdisciplinary dating methods used

Answer 2

1. Palynology
2. Dendrochronology
3. Radiometric Dating

Question 3

What is Palynology?

Answer 3

Study of microorganisms and microstructures

Question 4

What is Dendrochronology?

Answer 4

Study of tree growth through rings

Question 5

What is Radiometric Dating?

Answer 5

Dating through carbon isotopes

Question 6

What is the goal of Archaeology?

Answer 6

Fill in the gaps of our past through the study of physical remains. Historical records only account for the last 5000 years

Question 7

5 or 6 Steps to the archaeological process

Answer 7

1. Fieldwork
2. Survey
3. Mapping
4. Excavation
5. Mapping (documentation)
6. Post-Excavation

Question 8

What is Surveying

Answer 8

Visual examination of a geographic region where promising sites are most likely to be found. Non-destructive and cheaper than excavation

Question 9

2 methods of surveying land

Answer 9

1. Aerial Reconnaissance
2. Ground Reconnaissance

Question 10

What is Aerial Reconnaissance?

Answer 10

Aerial photography to see evidence of possible remains, such as earthworks, soil marks, and crop marks. Use of photos, LiDAR, infrared, etc.

Question 11

2 types of Ground Reconnaissance

Answer 11

1. Pedestrian survey - walk over an area and ask locals
2. Ground Truthing - random test pits

Question 12

2 types of Survey Technology

Answer 12

1. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) - basically sonar but with lasers
2. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) - basically sonar but on land

Question 13

What is a matrix in archaeology?

Answer 13

soil, clay, sand, or any debris

Question 14

What does the horizontal location tell you?

Answer 14

Items might have been used in the same time period

Question 15

What does the vertical location tell you?

Answer 15

When in time it was used

Question 16

Mapping Technology

Answer 16

Geographic Information System (GIS) - computer framework that stores and analyses geographical data (google maps)

Question 17

3 categories of objects

Answer 17

1. Artifacts
2. Ecofacts
3. Features

Question 18

What are artifacts?

Answer 18

Material things made by humans or anything modified by humans

Question 19

What are ecofacts?

Answer 19

Unmodified natural materials, but brought to an area by humans

Question 20

What are features?

Answer 20

Permanent structures built by humans

Question 21

Intuitive vs Objective classification

Answer 21

Intuitive is classifying an artifact using pre-existing information, while objective is classifying an artifact through empirical data

Question 22

What are the two approaches to archaeological data?

Answer 22

Processual and Post-processual

Question 23

What is Processual Archaeology?

Answer 23

New Archaeology. Objective and empirical view of archaeology that seeks to find scientific meaning to archaeological finds. functionalist shit

Question 24

What is Post-Processual Archaeology?

Answer 24

Interpretative Archaeology. Symbolic and Interpretative view of archaeology that seeks to find sociological meanings to archaeological finds. conflict theorist shit