beginnings in archaeology Flashcards
What is a primary source?
primary sources were created during the time of what is being investigated.
What is a secondary source?
A secondary source is a source created after the time that is being investigated.
four ways archaeological sites are located?
natural forces, ancient writings, aerial photographs and human activity.
What is excavation?
to dig up.
What is a strata?
Strata is a layer of Earth from an excavation site, usually the top layer is the most recent and it descends from there.
Three methods of excavation?
box-grid system - the site is divided into a grid of ‘boxes’ usually used on sites known to have been inhabited. The boxes are separated with walls of Earth.
Keyhole excavation - usually involves digging trenches at specific points of the site. (this system is less costly).
Open Area excavation - this involves digging up a large horizontal area one layer at a time.
What is relative dating?
Relative dating establishes whether an artefact is older or younger than other artefacts found. One way this is deciphered is with strata: in which different objects are found and it is assumed the deeper in earth the older the object, but this technique is unreliable because natural forces may force land to move along with objects in the strata’s.
Absolute dating?
Absolute dating is done easily if the date is marked on the objects (such as coins and inscriptions) but analysing exact date involves involves analysing atoms of artefact.
Radio-carbon dating?
Measures how much carbon-14 is left in an organic artefact to measure the age of it.
Dendrochronology?
Is used to date wood by examining rings formed: each year trees grow an extra layer this adds a ring to the trunk so from this the age of wood can be discovered.
agriculture
growing crops and raising domesticated animals.
How did humans populate Earth?
Modern Humans first originated in Africa (evolving from primates), where they continued to evolve and spread across the globe to colonise new land and adapt.
Akhet
period of inundation.
ankh
symbol of life
ankhet
that which gives life (grain)
ba
personality of a person
book of the dead
papyrus scroll buried with the dead giving instructions as to how pass the underworld and face judgement.
Duat
underworld
inundation
annual flood in Egypt bringing soul to fertilise fields and water.
ka
life-force
Kemet
‘black land’ name of ancient Egypt
maat
the idea of order
natron
a salt found in dry lake beds used for drying dead bodies.
Peret
the season in which crops begin to grow
Shemu
harvest time
physical features of ancient Egypt
made up of scattered oases in the desert a long thin strip of cultivable land on either side of the river nile and a wild fertile area at the delta where the nile empties into the mediterranean sea.
Osiris
King of Underworld
Horus
God of sun and war and protector of the pharaoh
Anubis
in charge of the burial in Egyptq
Isis
protector of women especially wives
Maat
Goddess of justice
Thoth
God of writing and knowledge
Ra
God of the sun
Mummification?
when someone died their body would be taken to a special purification place on the west bank of the River Nile. There it’s washed in a mixture of water and natron. It’s then taken to embalmers where they remove internal organs beginning with the brain. A long hook is inserted through the nose, the brain is shredded and remains were washed out with palm wine. The rest of the organs were removed through a cavity cut in the left flank. The liver, lungs, stomach and the intestines were preserved in natron and placed in four canopic jars. Palm wine was poured in to dissolve the rest of the organs. After 40 days, the body was black and distorted, to restore shape the embalmers would wrap the body in linen bandages.
Four theories for the buildings of the ancient pyramids?
- one large ramp; impossible because the ramp would be too steep.
- a ramp that winds around pyramids: makes it harder to build because you can’t see corners.
- A series of cranes from the bottom swinging the stones up: impossible because the crane was not created until New kingdom.
- combination theory: A straight ramp used to build lowest section and a ramp around the pyramid enabled workers to build highest levels, finally a series of levers were used to pull the stones to the top.
