Chapter 1 Flashcards
The study of human past, combining the themes of time and change.
Archaeology
a subdivision of geological time,millions of years long, representing units of an era.
Epoch
a uniquely human means of nonbiological adaptation, a repertoire of learned behaviors for coping with the physical and social environments
culture
the process of change over time resulting from shifting conditions of the physical and cultural environments, involving mechanisms of mutation and natural selection
Evolution
the study of the biological nature of our nearest relatives and ourselves.
Biological anthropology
the stud of living people and shared aspects of human experience.
cultural anthropology
investigation that seek to answer fundamental questions about humans and human behavior
anthropological archaeology(prehistory)
archaeology in combinations with the written record.
historical archaeology
any object or item created or modified by human action
artifact
the search for archaeological sites in the landscape through surveys and excavations.
fieldwork
the accumulation of artifacts and or ecofacts, representing a place where people lived or carried out certain activities
Site
a systematic search of the landscape for artifacts and sites on the ground through aerial photography, field walking, soil analysis, and geophysical prospecting.
Survey
the exposure and recording of buried materials from the past.
excavation
an instrument for remote sensing or prospecting for buried structures using radar maps of subsoil features.
ground-penetrating radar (GPR or geodar)
Activities of plants and animals in the earth, disturbance of archaeological materials.
bioturbation
a computerized surveying and mapping instrument that uses a laser beam or radio waves to measure the distance and angle between the instrument and the target and then calculates the exact position of the target.
total station
the body of material and information that survives for archaeologists to study.
archaeological record
the association and relationships between archaeological objects that are in the same place.
context
an object found where it was originally located in antiquity, not redeposited.
primary context
the place of origin for archaeological materials, including location, association, and context
provenience
Any of the remains of plants, animals, sediments, or other unmodified materials that result from human activity.
Ecofact
an immovable structure or layer, pit, or post in the ground having archaeological significance.
feature
the study of human cultures through firsthand observation
ethnography
the combination of knowledge and manufacturing techniques that enables people to convert raw materials into finished products.
technology
the management and organization of the affairs of a group, community, or establishment to ensure their survival and productivity.
economy
the arrangemetns between individuals and groups in human society that structure relationships and activities.
organization
A term that refers to societies lacking clearly defined status differences between individuals, except for those due to sex, age or skill.
egalitarian
a relationship of inequality between members of society in which status is determined by kinship relations of birth order and lineage.
rank
a relationship of inequality between members of society in which status is determined by membership in a level or class.
Class
referring to societies that have a graded order of inequality in ranks, statuses, or decision making
hierarchical
a conceptual framework by which people structure their ideas about the order of the universe, their place that universes, and their relationship among themselves and with objects and other forms of life around them.
ideology
the worldview of a group or society, encompassing their understanding of the universe, their origins and existence, and nature
cosmology
a written or painted symbol that more or less portrays the represented object.
pictograph
a drawing tha has been carved into rock
petroglyph
an anthropological term for a spiritualist, curer, or seer.
shaman
an alliance or association among some members of a society, often based on age and sex, a specific function.
sodality
Archaeological investigations that seek to answer fundamental questions about humans and human behavior.
Anthropological Archaeology
What is the name of the current geological era?
Cenozoic (comprised of 4 epochs)
what is the name of the current geological epoch?
Holocene
Archaeologist rely on information from who, prior to starting work?
maps
local amateur archaeologist
written materials
historical societies
systematic search of the landscape for artifacts and sites.
Archaeological Survey
what do archaeologist do once a site has been located?
dig test pits or bore for samples of sediments before
what is done when a site is threatened by modern construction?
a rescue excavation
what are types of informations derived from fieldwork?
artifacts
ecofacts
features
sites
what are the 4 subfields of anthropology?
- Cultural Anthropology
- Biologicial Anthropology
- Linguistic Anthropology
- Archaeology
Fieldwork: participant observation, culture shock, ethnography & ethnology
Cultural Anthropology
Fieldwork: Human Biological variation, human evolution, primatology, human growth & development, and behavior, health & disease.
Biological Anthropology
Fieldwork: human linguistic variation, historical linguistics, evolution of language, ethnography of speech, socio-linguistics.
Linguistic Anthropology
This maps the relationship and change in languages through time?
Historical Linguistic
Fieldwork: cultural history, reconstruct past life ways, study culture process, pattern of long term social change.
Anthropological Archaeology
A behavior that is learned and shared?
Culture
Culture is?
a way of thinking
ways of feeling
way of acting
this means “to circumnavigate humankind”- Eric Wolf
The goal of anthropology
the study of all dimensions of human behavior.
Holistic
the study of all forms of human society.
Global
the study of the characteristics of various peoples and the differences and relationships between them.
Ethnology
The earliest human ancestors are now thought to be how old?
6 million years ago
The first tools and other artifacts date back to when?
2.6 mya
the order of animals that includes lemurs, tarsiers, monkeys, apes and humans. we are part of it because we have grasping hands, flexible limbs, and highly developed sense of vision.
primate
the taxonomic group that includes the human and ape members of the primates, both fossil and modern forms we are part of it because of our teeth, the absence of a tail and swinging arms.
hominoidea
When did the first primates exist?
65mya at the beginning of the ceozoic geological era.
how do archaeologist study culture?
through fieldwork, they use participant observation, the observe members of a society and attempt to participate in that society.
what are the 3 parts of culture?
- infrastructure
- superstructure
- structure
who was the first hominin discovered?
Lucy, female-small in stature, small brain and about 20yrs old when she died.
Base or physical world you live in, the material conditions of social life.
infrastructure
Ideology, the way you explain the social world to yourself. understanding of the world. The system of meaning.
Superstructure
The pattern of social life, societies are made up with patterns and expectations.
Structure
The first intact skull was discovered when and where?
In 1994 in the Hadar Region, known as the Australopithecus Afarensis- dating to 3mya. It confirmed the upright posture.
having more than one mate
polygynous
what are the 3 distinctions of being human?
- upright posture
- a large brain
- tool use
the first period of human prehistory, extending from the time of the first tools, more than 2.5mya, until the end of the pleistocene, 10kya.
Paleolithic
the period of time of early farmers with domesticated plants and animals, polished stone tools, permanent villages, and often pottery.
Neolithic
a cold episode of the pleistocene, also called an ice age.
glacial
a warm period of the pleistocene
interglacial
the expansion of continental glacial ice during a period of cold climate.
glaciation
the ratio of different isotopes of oxygen in ocean water, varying with the temperature of the water.
oxygen isotope ratio
a term describing the phenomenon considered to be the prime reason for glacial fluctuations and climate change.
Milakovitch forcing
term for any human or ape, past or present characterized by teeth shape, absence of tail, and free swinging arms.
Hominoid
term for human, chimpanzee, & gorilla members of primates, both fossils & living forms.
Hominin
Old term sometimes used for humans and bipedal ancestors
Hominid
The oldest fossils
adipitheus
allow us to establish sequence of events
relative dates
a large, tear drop shaped stone tool bifacially flaked to a point at one end and a broader base at the other.
handaxe
a manufacturing process involving the removal (as opposed to the addition) of materials from a core that becomes the finished product
reduction technique
a major archaeological culture of the lower paleolithic, named after the st. Achel in France.
Acheulean
a percussion technique for making stone tools by striking one stone, or core, with another stone or hammer
hard-hammer technique
a flintknapping technique that involves the use of a hammer of bone, antler, or wood, rather than stone.
soft-hammer technique
a tool with a broad leading edge.
cleaver
a stone tool with right-angle edges used for planing and engraving.
burin
a term used for assemblages from the lower paleolithic, lacking handles and characterized by large flakes with heavy retouching and notches.
Clactonian
a trace left on bone by a stone or metal tool used in butchering a carcass,
cutmark
when did the first primates appear?
65mya
The first early group to leave Africa?
Homo erectus
where was the first family discovered?
Hadar
The half-life of potassium-argon is?
1.3 Billion years
Fossilized footprints dating to 3.6 m.y.a. were found at
laetoli
One of the most prominent features at Swartkrans is the presence of
Breccia
The Leakey family is most closely associated with which of the following sites?
Olduavi
Kenyanthropus platyops would best be classified as
Hominin
What is the name of the famous prehistoric site in East Africa where the Zinj specimen was discovered in 1959?
Olduavi
When did the first human ancestors appear outside of Africa?
about 2mya
The stone tools typically associated with Homo erectus are referred to as
Lower Paleolithic
Eugene Dubois discovered Homo erectus specimens in
Java
The most recent glacial stage is known as the
Wurm
Where are the hominid fossil Zhoukoudian remains today?
Lost while being transported from china to US
Why did human ancestors settle in Asia long before settling in Europe?
Europe may have been too cold
The earliest site in Europe dates to
1.2 mya
Sima de los Huesos and Gran Dolina are layers from which important site?
Atapuerca
Acheulean handaxes were basically used for
Cutting, sawing, digging, bashing
The brain size of Homo erectus was approximately?
1000cc
Homo heidelbergensis is the designation used for early occupants of?
Europe
Individuals were intentionally placed here after they died.
in Sima de los Huesos at Atapuerca
The name given to the assemblages of early pebble tools and flakes belonging to the Basal Paleo lithic, derived from Olduvai.
Oldowan
An absolute dating technique based on the principle of decay of the radioactive isotope of potassium, 40K. Also called potassium-argon dating.
Radiopotassium dating
In archaeology, a manufacturing process involving the removal (as opposed to the addition) of materials from a core that becomes the finished product.
reduction technique
A technique used to estimate the antiquity of archaeological materials, generally based on association with materials of known age or simply to say that one item is younger or older than another.
relative dating
The similarities and differences
Comparative
what are the three goals of anthropology?
- holistic
- Globla
- Comparative
