Archaeology Flashcards
What is Archaeology?
The study of human history and prehistory through excavation and analysis of material remains
List 3 Interdisciplinary dating methods used
- Palynology
- Dendrochronology
- Radiometric Dating
What is Palynology?
Study of microorganisms and microstructures
What is Dendrochronology?
Study of tree growth through rings
What is Radiometric Dating?
Dating through carbon isotopes
What is the goal of Archaeology?
Fill in the gaps of our past through the study of physical remains. Historical records only account for the last 5000 years
5 or 6 Steps to the archaeological process
- Fieldwork
- Survey
- Mapping
- Excavation
- Mapping (documentation)
- Post-Excavation
What is Surveying
Visual examination of a geographic region where promising sites are most likely to be found. Non-destructive and cheaper than excavation
2 methods of surveying land
- Aerial Reconnaissance
- Ground Reconnaissance
What is Aerial Reconnaissance?
Aerial photography to see evidence of possible remains, such as earthworks, soil marks, and crop marks. Use of photos, LiDAR, infrared, etc.
2 types of Ground Reconnaissance
- Pedestrian survey - walk over an area and ask locals
- Ground Truthing - random test pits
2 types of Survey Technology
- Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) - basically sonar but with lasers
- Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) - basically sonar but on land
What is a matrix in archaeology?
soil, clay, sand, or any debris
What does the horizontal location tell you?
Items might have been used in the same time period
What does the vertical location tell you?
When in time it was used
Mapping Technology
Geographic Information System (GIS) - computer framework that stores and analyses geographical data (google maps)
3 categories of objects
- Artifacts
- Ecofacts
- Features
What are artifacts?
Material things made by humans or anything modified by humans
What are ecofacts?
Unmodified natural materials, but brought to an area by humans
What are features?
Permanent structures built by humans
Intuitive vs Objective classification
Intuitive is classifying an artifact using pre-existing information, while objective is classifying an artifact through empirical data
What are the two approaches to archaeological data?
Processual and Post-processual
What is Processual Archaeology?
New Archaeology. Objective and empirical view of archaeology that seeks to find scientific meaning to archaeological finds. functionalist shit
What is Post-Processual Archaeology?
Interpretative Archaeology. Symbolic and Interpretative view of archaeology that seeks to find sociological meanings to archaeological finds. conflict theorist shit
