Investigating Ancient History Flashcards
What is archaeology?
The study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and analysis of physical evidence.
What is an artefact?
An object made by a human, typically of cultural, social, of historical importance.
What is baulk?
The unexcavated ground between the trenches on an excavation site, often used as a section face.
What is a cartographer?
A person who creates maps.
What is conservation?
Methods of preserving material, artefacts and sites.
What is a datum point?
A fixed point at an excavation site used to make measurments when drawing a map,plan, or stratigraphic diagram.
What is dendrochronology?
A dating method based on the cross section of trees using tree rings, which are indicative of annual growth as well as environmental factors.
What is an epigrapher?
An expert on inscriptions.
What is an ethnographer?
An expert on peoples and cultures, focusing on customs, beliefs and political systems, kinship, material culture, and mutual differences.
What is an excavation?
The process of removing earth to discover what lies beneath.
What is keyhole excavation?
The excavation of small, narrow trenches carefully placed to check critical details of the site.
What is a numismatist?
An expert on coins and medals.
What is open area excavation?
An excavation method where the entire area is excavated, it has a horizontal layout which provides better understanding of the site.
What is palaeoanthropology?
The study of the members of the genus Homo, to investigate the origins and traits of the often extinct members over millions of years.
What is a palynologist?
An expert on pollen, grains and other spores.
