Chapter 5: Archaeology & Cultural Evolution

Question 1

Archaeology

Answer 1

Cultural anthropology of the human past focusing on material evidence of human modification of the physical environment

Question 2

Archaeological record

Answer 2

All physical remains created by humans or near-humans revealed by archaeology

Question 3

Site

Answer 3

A precise geographical location of the remains of past human activity

Question 4

Feature

Answer 4

Non-portable remnants from the past

Ex: House walls or ditches

Question 5

Relative dating

Answer 5

Provide a time frame in relation to other strata or materials

Question 6

Stratigraphy

Answer 6

Examines accumulation of sediments in layers

Question 7

Law of superposition

Answer 7

Layers closest to the bottom are the oldest

Question 8

Artifacts

Answer 8

Objects that have been deliberately and intelligently shaped by human or near-human activity

Question 9

Assemblages

Answer 9

Artifacts and structures from a particular time and place in a site

Question 10

Archaeological cultures

Answer 10

Similar assemblages from many sites

Question 11

Taphonomy

Answer 11

The study of processes that affect remains

Question 12

Preservation

Answer 12

The survival of archaeological remains

depends on what they were made of and the conditions they experienced

Question 13

Ecofacts

Answer 13

Plant and animal remains used to make inferences about paleo-environments and diet

Question 14

Controlling fire

Answer 14

One of the most important achievements in human cultural development