Chapter 1: History of Archaeology Flashcards
Archaeology
- the study of past and present humans through its material remains
- studies people’s behaviour from their material culture
- shares methods from different discipline
Material Culture
the buildings and tools and other artifacts that constitute as material remains of former societies
Culture
non-biological characteristics unique to a particular society
Evolution
- the process of growth and development generally accompanied by increasing complexity
- linked to Darwin’s concept of natural selection as the basis of species survival
Archaeology in Relation to Other Disciplines
- History
- Palaeontology
- Classics
- Indigenous studies
- Environmental science/studies
- Geography
- Geology
Antiquarianism (Speculative Phase)
- 18th and 19th centuries and earlier
- curiosity driven
- often more about “things” than people
Major Ideas From the Early Period of
Archaeology
- Cultural Evolution
- 3 Age System (Stone, Bronze, Iron)
- Application of concepts from geology
Cultural Evolution
- problematic
- all cultures went through a series of stages (savagery -> barbarism -> civilization)
Three Age System (Stone, Bronze, Iron)
- problematic
- does not apply universally
Application of Concepts from Geology
- stratification
- uniformitarianism
Stratification
- the laying down or deposition of strata or layers (deposits) one above the other
- a succession of layers should provide a relative chronological sequence with the earliest at the bottom and the latest at the top
Uniformitarianism
- the principle that the stratification of rocks is due to processes still going on in seas, rivers, and lakes that geologically ancient conditions were in essence similar to, or “uniform with,” those of our own time
- Charles Lyell
Thomas Jefferson
first to scientifically excavate mounts
General Pitt-Rivers (1827-1900)
systemic about documenting excavations
Culture/Description Historical Archaeology
- first half of the 20th century
- organization of archaeological material in time and space and classification systems
- written material remains of past/present societies
- change explained in terms of migration and diffusion
Migration
moving for work or economic opportunities, to join family, to study, escape conflict terrorism or human rights violations
Diffusion
the process by which knowledge, innovation, language, or cultural characteristics are spread within or between cultures or communities
Direct Historic Approach
- working from the present back to the past based on similarities in artifacts
- groups of similar artifacts could indicate a “culture”
V. Gordon Childe (1892-1957)
- created neolithic resolution
- came up with explanations
Alfred Kidder (1885-1963)
created diagrams of cites based on similar artifacts
Processual/New Archaeology
- 1960s to present
- objective
- focussed on explanation instead of description
- searched for generalization (laws) through the scientific method (formulate and test hypotheses) and statistical analysis rather than simple description
- induction
What dynamic does processual arch stress?
the dynamic relationship between social and economic aspects of culture and the environment as the basis for understanding the processes of culture change
Important Ideas from the Period of Processual Archaeology
- importance of economic and social systems in societies (trade, subsistence, kinship)
- application of scientific methods and statistical analysis
- use of analogy from ethnoarchaeology and experimental archaeology
Lewis Binford
- initiated what came to be known as the “New Archaeology,” which champions the use of quantitative methods and the practice of archaeology as a rigorous science
- ethnoarchaeological research
Post-processual Archaeology
- 1980s until now
- subjective
- not focussed on laws, more historical in nature
- “individualizing” approach
Important Ideas from the Period of Post-processualism
- positionality (the questions studied, methodologies, inferences are influenced by the researchers background)
- focus on the experience and agency of the individual
Artifact
any portable object used, modified, or made by humans
ex. stone tools and pottery
Radiocarbon Dating
an absolute dating method that measures the decay of the radioactive isotope of carbon (14C) in organic material
Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)
hunters, gatherers, nomadic
Neolithic (New Stone Age)
- agriculture
- domesticated plants and animals
Reconnaissance
- a broad range of techniques involved in the location of archaeological sites such as the recording of surface artifacts and features, and the sampling of natural and mineral resources
- Alfred Kidder
Assemblage
a group of artifacts recurring together at a particular time and place, and representing the sum of human activities
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
material that carries the hereditary instructions (the “blueprint”) that determine the formation of all living organisms
Induction
generalized reasoning from a series of specific observations to get general conclusions
Typology
the systematic organization of artifacts into types on the basis of shared attributes
Rescue Archaeology
the location and recording (usually through excavation) of archaeological sites in advance of highway construction, drainage projects, or urban development
Cultural Resource Management (CRM)
the safeguarding of the archaeological heritage through the protection of sites and through salvage archaeology, generally within the framework of legislation
