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Archaeology 101 > Key Terms/Concepts > Flashcards

Key Terms/Concepts Flashcards

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1
Q

ALS (airborne laser scanning)

A

LIDAR light detection and ranging remote sensing technique using same principle as radar to determine the range to the target

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2
Q

Anthropology

A

Study of humanity

3 subsections: biological, cultural, and archaeology

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3
Q

Archaeological culture

A

Constantly recurring assemblage of artifacts assumed to be representative of a particular set of behavioral activities carried out at a particular time and place

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4
Q

Archaeology

A

Sub discipline of anthropology involving the study of the human past through its material remains

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5
Q

Artifact

A

Any portable object used modified or made by humans

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6
Q

Attribute

A

Minimal characteristic of an artifact such that is cannot be further subdivided
Includes: aspects of form, style, decoration, color, and raw material

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7
Q

Characterization

A

Application of techniques of examination by which characteristic properties of the constituent material of traded goods can be identified and thus their source of origin

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8
Q

Classification

A

The ordering findings into groups on the basis of shared attributes

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9
Q

Cognitive archaeology

A

The study of let ways of though and symbolic structures from material remains

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10
Q

Cognitive processual approach

A

Alternative to materialistic orientation of be functional processual approach
Concerned with the integration of the cognitive and symbolic with other aspects of early societies and the role of ideology as an active organizational force

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11
Q

Context

A

Artifacts context usually consisted of its immediate matrix, provenience and association with other artifacts

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12
Q

Contract archaeology

A

Archaeological research conducted under terms of a contract

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13
Q

Critical theory

A

Theoretical approach developed by “Frankfurt school” of German social thinkers that stresses that all knowledge is historical and in a sense biased communication thus al claims to objective knowledge

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14
Q

Cultural anthropology

A

Study of human culture and society

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15
Q

Cultural resource management

A

Safeguarding archaeological heritage through the protection of sites and through salvage archaeology

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16
Q

Culture

A

Non biological characteristics to specific society

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17
Q

Dendrochronology

A

Study of tree ring patterns to develop timeline, and determine environmental changes in the past

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18
Q

Aerial Survey

A

Employing atrial and satellite imagery used in the discovery and recording of archaeological sites

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19
Q

The stratified random sample

A

Divide strata into separate areas

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19
Q

Site vs. findspot

A

Site: artifact densities indicate activity areas and function of the site
Findspot: scatters of artifacts usually found by surface survey

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20
Q

Total station

A

Survey instrument that measures and records in 3 dimensions

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21
Q

Inorganic preservation

A

Pottery survives well

Fire cooked clay

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22
Q

Ethnoarchaeology

A

Study of contemporary cultures with a view to understanding behavioral relationships that underline material culture

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23
Q

Experimental archaeology

A

The study of past behavioral processes through experimental reconstruction under controlled scientific conditions

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24
Q

Taphonomy

A

The study of processes (burial, decay, preservation) affection animal or plant remains

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25
Q

Primary context

A

The original place/site of an artifact, ecofact, or feature

Ex bones in a grave

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26
Q

Secondary context

A

The movement of artifact or ecofact from its original position
Ex moving bones from one grave to another

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27
Q

Immediate matrix

A

Material that surrounds object

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28
Q

Provenience

A

Vertical and horizontal relation of something

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29
Q

Associations

A

What else was found with the object? Something found within the same level
Ex Axe and shield both found in Bronze Age level

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30
Q

Archaeological context

A

Place where object is found, how it was found, what material (ex soil) surrounds it, the layer it came from,

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31
Q

Site

A

Place an artifact ecofact structure feature or organic & inorganic remains are found together
Places showing traces of past human activity

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32
Q

Ecofact

A

Organic and environmental remains

Ex human skeleton or plant Residue

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33
Q

Features

A

Human modified aspects of the site or landscape that provides evidence of structures, activities or interaction with the landscape

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34
Q

Archaeological record

A

Any evidence of past human activity preserved in the earth through culture and natural process

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35
Q

Anaerobic environment

A

Lacking air and moisture

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36
Q

Pyroclastic flows

A

Avalanches of hot ash, pumice, and rock fragment

I.e. Volcanic eruption flows

37
Q

Pompeii

A 
Roman city destroyed by mount Vesuvius around 79 AD 
Spans roughly 163 acres 
Was home to roughly 20,000 ppl
Was trading town
Famous for fish sauce and grand villas
38
Q

Post processual archaeology

A

Explanation formulated in reaction to the ‘limitations’ of functional-processual archaeology

39
Q

The ecological approach

A

Concerned with interactions between environment, biology, and culture

40
Q

New archaeology

A

More scientific approach to archaeological methods and theory with tested hypotheses

41
Q

Cultural historical method

A

Material culture defines groups and builds timelines

42
Q

Natural selection

A

Darwinian theory for evolution

43
Q

Uniformitarianism

A

Principle that stratification if rocks is due to processes still going on today
I.e. Ancient geological conditions are similar to today’s

44
Q

Prehistory

A

Period before the written record

45
Q

Biblical archaeology

A

Work with reference to the events set out in the bible

Ex Noah’s ark

46
Q

Classics archaeology

A

Interest in the societies of Ancient Greece and Rome and neighboring territories

47
Q

Linguistic archaeology

A

Study of how speech varies with social factors and over time

48
Q

Physical anthropology

A

Aka biological anthropology
Study of human biological or physical characteristics and how they evolved
Ex skeleton

49
Q

Classical archaeologist

A

Study Greek and Roman civilization

50
Q

Historical archaeologist

A

Study medieval or historic towns, events, etc

51
Q

Pre historians

A

Study prehistoric settlements

52
Q

Paleoanthropology

A

Study of earliest human cultures

Ex cave men

53
Q

Bio archaeologist

A

Study skeletons of people and animals

54
Q

Material remains

A

Artifacts that remain of a group of people

55
Q

Electrolysis

A

Standard cleaning process in archaeology

Object is played in chemical solution and has weak current ran through it. Debris fall off and object is clean

56
Q

Evolution

A

Process of growth and development generally accompanied by increasing complexity
I.e. Bigger brains

57
Q

Evolutionary archaeology

A

Darwinian evolutionary concepts applied to the archaeological record

58
Q

Excavation

A

Uncovering archaeological remains through the removal of deposits of soil or materials covering and a accompanying them

59
Q

Feature

A

A non-portable ‘artifact’

Ex architectural element

60
Q

Formation process

A

Processes affecting the way artifacts were buried and their following history

61
Q

GIS

A

Geographic information systems

Software for the overall conservation, organization, and analysis of the archaeological record

62
Q

Landscape archaeology

A

Study of individual features over a wider area once filled with human activity

63
Q

Marxist archaeology

A

Based principally on the writings of Karl Marx. A materialistic model of societal change

64
Q

Material culture

A

Buildings, tools etc

Artifacts that constitute the material remains of former societies

65
Q

Mesolithic

A

Period beginning around 10,000 years ago. Between Paleolithic and Neolithic

66
Q

Neolithic

A

Characterized by the settling of people to one area and beginning of farming

67
Q

Neolithic revolution

A

Origin and consequences of farming and settled village life

68
Q

Off site data

A

Evidence from a range of information including scatters of such artifacts and features as plow marks and boundaries that provide important evidence about human exploration of the environment

69
Q

Open area excavation

A

I.e. Digging
Opening up large horizontal areas for excavation
Usually used with single period deposits

70
Q

Paleolithic

A

Period before 10,000
Characterized by the earliest known tool making
Aka Stone Age

71
Q

Post processual explanation

A

Explanation formulated in reaction to the perceived limitations of functional-processual archaeology

72
Q

Processual archaeology

A

Approach that stresses the dynamic relationship between social and economic aspects of culture and the environment as basis for understanding the process of culture change

73
Q

Pseudo archaeology

A

Use of selective archaeological evidence to make fake history

74
Q

Radiocarbon dating

A

Absolute dating method that measures decay of the radioactive isotope carbon in organic material

75
Q

Reconnaissance survey

A

Recording of surface artifacts and features by walking in a strategic format and picking up things in the immediate area

76
Q

Research design

A

Systematic planning of archaeological research

77
Q

Salvage archaeology

A

Aka rescue archaeology

Location and recording usually through excavation of archaeological sites in advance of construction

78
Q

Site

A

Distinct spatial clustering of artifacts features organic and environmental remains and structures
The residue of human activity

79
Q

Soil resistivity

A

Soil changes when things decay.
Aka earth resistance survey
Method of subset face detection that measures changes in conductivity by passing electrical current through soils. Buried features can be detected by ground water retention

80
Q

Stela

A

Plural is stelae

Free standing carved stone monument

81
Q

Stratification

A

Layers one above the other

Aka timeline using things buried on top of eachother

82
Q

Structuralist approach

A

Interpretations that stress that human actions are guided by beliefs and symbolic concepts

83
Q

Style

A

Any distinctive and recognizable way in which an act is performed and made

84
Q

Surface survey

A

Systematic -straight lines

Unsystematic- not straight lines

85
Q

Taphonomy

A

Study processes that have affected organic materials such as bone after death

86
Q

Three age system

A

System for sequence of time periods Stone Age Bronze Age and Iron Age

87
Q

Type

A

Class of artifacts defined by the consistent clustering of attributes

88
Q

Typology

A

Systematic organization of artifacts into types on the basis of shared attributes

89
Q

Underwater reconnaissance

A

Geographical methods of underwater survey

90
Q

Wheeler box grid

A

Excavation technique developed by Mortimer Wheeler involving excavation grid squares

Archaeology 101 (2 decks)

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