Case Studies Flashcards
To learn key facts about the main case studies
What type of site is Boxgrove, and what was the site used for?
A kill site- used for the slaughter of animals.
When was the first excavation at Boxgrove?
1985
Roughly how many flints have been found at Boxgrove?
Over 1000
How can Roman Pottery be linked to the manufacturer?
There are often trade marks which each tradesman uses, such as individual patterns and techniques.
How can electrons be used to date Roman Pottery?
They can become trapped within the artefact and can be used to date it.
When was Baldock first discovered and excavated?
Discovered in December 1967 as workmen were excavating the course of a new road
Excavation started 1st January 1968
What were archaeologists excavating in at Baldock?
Solid Chalk
Name 4 of the significant finds at Baldock
- An iron fire dog dating from iron age
- Large bronze cauldron
- Bronze dishes
- A pair of wooden buckets
- An amphora
- Two iron fire-dogs
- Wooden bucket found inside a bronze vessel
- Bronze and Iron Cauldron
- Remains of a tripod wooden vessel encased in bronze
- Remains of a second vessel
- Late Bronze age sword
Why were there no human skeleton remains at Snape?
None survived from the Inhumations due to the acidity of the soil
How could archaeologists tell where the bodies once were at Snape?
The shapes of the bodies were preserved as darkly stained cohesive lumps of sand.
What was significant about the finds at Snape?
Objects which wouldn’t usually survive, such as horn, leather, textile and wood, managed to be preserved
Why is the site of the West Runton Elephant not a kill site?
Because no humans were involved in the death of the elephant
Where is West Runton located?
Norfolk, East Anglia
What two factors indicate that West Runton is an elephant graveyard?
- Bones were trampled on by other animals
- The humorous was the wrong way round and had been rearranged
How were the bones of the West Runton Elephant prevented from breaking?
The bone was plaster bandaged which prevents break. Metal mesh was also used to reinforce the plaster.
Why is it thought that Lindow Man was murdered?
His remains showed signs of being strangled, hit on the head and then his throat cut.
What evidence is there which suggests that the Lindow Man was from the upper class?
He had a trimmed beard, moustache and sideburns, as well as a healthy set of teeth and manicured nails.
Why was the Lindow Man so well preserved?
The bog did not allow the body to decay as it was not exposed to oxygen, which means that the microorganisms that cause decay cannot survive
When was it believed that the Lindow Man was thrown into the bog, and when was he discovered again?
Believed to be thrown into the bog between 2BC and 119AD, and discovered on the 1st August 1984
How was Otzi the iceman excavated?
He was excavated using a pneumatic drill and ice-axes, which was not a very good way to excavate the remains.
What was the big international debate about over Otzi?
Who owned him- Italians and Austrians both believed he was found on their land. Eventually, it was proved that he was found on Italian land
Name 3 of the artifacts or ecofacts found on or around Otzi the Iceman
- Shoes
- Firelighter
- Mushrooms
- Charcoal
- Bow and arrows
- Red deer made clothes
After radiocarbon dating the stones in 2008, when is it believed that the first stones were erected at Stonehenge?
between 2400 and 2200 BC
Who claims to be the descendants of the people who build Stonehenge?
The druids
Where do the Bluestone stones used to build Stonehenge originate from?
Craig Rhos-y-Felin in Wales (160 miles away)
When did the seahenge excavation start?
October 1998
How did the initial discovery at Seahenge begin?
In spring 1998, a man stumbled across a bronze age axe head on the beach, but did not originally know what it was. After several visits after this, he found a lone tree stump on the beach.
What was the main problem archaeologists faced when excavating the wood at Seahenge?
The wood began to disintegrate as soon as it hit oxygen
When roughly was Seahenge built?
21st Century BC
How many split oak tree trunks form Seahenge?
55
