Investigating The Past- 1 Flashcards
What does a historian do?
Study the past with a focus on written sources
What does an archaeologist do?
Study the past with a focus on physical evidence (artefacts)
What are the limitations of written sources in ancient history?
They are limited to the last 5,500 years and limited to literate societies and have a Male bias
What is an Aerial Survey?
Photographs taken from the air to reveal sites in different ways.
What is GPR? (Ground Penetrating Radar)
Radar signal sent into the ground in the form of an electromagnetic pulse to find things underground
What is a magnetic survey?
Detecting metallic objects under the ground using a proton magnetometer
What questions do we need to ask when we are examining written sources in history? (OCMAPRU)
Origin, Content, Motive, Audience, Perspective, Reliability, Usefulness
What are the two types of sources?
Archaeological and Written
What questions do we need to ask of archaeological sources?
What is it? Where was it found? How old is it? Is it reliable or useful? What does it tell us about the past?
What is bias?
A one sided or unfair opinion
What is a primary source?
A source from the time that is being studied
What is a secondary source?
A source that has been created after the time being studied
How does nature destroy the past?
Things like: animals, weather, natural disatsters, time
How does nature preserve the past?
Through things like: cold conditions, dry conditions, natural disasters, naturally occurring chemicals
How do humans destroy the past?
Through things like: building, pollution, tourism, warfare, neglect
How do humans preserve the past?
Through things like: Museums, laws, science of preservation i.e air tight containment or freezing
Why do we reconstruct the past?
To gain a better understanding of the people, places and events of the past
What is the reconstruction of people?
Piecing together or re-creating the lives of a group or an individual using written and archaeological evidence
What is the reconstruction of an event?
Piecing together or re-creating an important moment in history using written and archaeological evidence
What is the reconstruction of a place?
Piecing together or re-creating a significant area of the world using written and archaeological evidence. This can also include physically reconstructing on a site
How is science used to locate an archaeological site?
Examples: GPR, aerial survey, magnetic survey
How is science used during excavation?
Examples: Chemicals to break down soil, digital record keeping, machinery, 3D modelling of a site
How is science used in preservation of evidence?
Examples: freezing, climate control, chemicals
How is science used in analysis of evidence?
Examples: dating (carbon dating etc), computer science, DNA analysis
What are ethics?
The study of morals and human conduct. The rules of conduct recognized as appropriate to a particular profession
