Late History of Archaeology

Question 1

Answer 1

Julian Steward (1902-1972) - Culture history archaeologist. Cultural ecology is the study of human adaptations to social and physical environments.

Question 2

Answer 2

Nunamuit (Binford)- developed Ethnoarchaeology in the arctic looking at the way the Nunamuit disposed of waste and manufactured tools, and their diets. Processual archaeology, 1960s.

Question 3

Answer 3

Kalinga Potters, Phillipines. One of the longest-running ethnoarchaeological projects in the world. It was initiated in 1973. Lasting for almost 20 years, research focused on pottery production, use, exchange, and discard.

Question 4

Answer 4

William Rathje and the ‘Garbology’ project. He was the longtime director of the Tucson Garbage Project, which studied trends in discards by field research in Tucson, Arizona, and in landfills elsewhere, pioneering the field now known as garbology, which began in 1973.

Question 5

Answer 5

Hermeneutics is the theory and methodology of text interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts. In archaeology, hermeneutics means the interpretation and understanding of material through analysis of possible meanings and social uses.

Question 6

Answer 6

Third gender:Hijras (India) and Two Spirit (Native American). Rejects the binary narrative and ethnocentrism. Postprocessual focus on gender, feminism, identity at the forefront of understanding other cultures.

Question 7

Answer 7

Çatalhöyük, Turkey. Excavation began in 1956, continued by Ian Hodder today. Focus of postprocessual research - gender (mother goddess cult) and publishing research for multivocality. Existed from approximately 7500 BC to 5700 BC, and flourished around 7000 BC. It is the largest and best-preserved Neolithic site found to date.

Question 8

Answer 8

Culture History Archaeological Theory -

• Late 19th century and early 20th century intellectual climate
• Rising European nationalism
• Pronounced impact of Marxism
• People envisioned en masse as distinct cultures or groups - changes blamed on diffussion and migration

Question 9

Answer 9

V. Gordon Childe (writing 1920s to 40s)

• Ecological ideas
• Society viewed as a stable, ‘cohesive system’
• Deals with people as groups rather than persons
• Does not allow for conflict or failure, or for deviant or ‘unhelpful’ behaviours
• Places limitations of change and creativity

Question 10

Answer 10

Taking ideas from archaeological evidence and ethnographic comparisons to form ideas about sites and past societies.

Question 11

Answer 11

Taphonomy is the study of decaying organisms over time and how they may becomefossilized.

Question 12

Answer 12

Ethnoarchaoelogy. Lisa Frink with Chevak woman at her summer fish camp. Elders are the group library and are highly respected and cherished for their expertise and a bit feared for their power. Note her waterproof sealskin boots that she made. Emphasis is on cultural adaptation over time rather than biological responses

Question 13

Answer 13

Experimental archaeology. Reconstruction of sequences of action. Finding the chaîne opératoire.

Question 14

Answer 14

Bone with cut marks - shows butchery, cutting tools, diets.

Question 15

Answer 15

Broken K pueblo, Arizona, 12 +13th century AD. Studied by James N. Hill, student of Lewis Binford. Described as “a classic example of how social organization may be reflected in the architectural segregation of pottery styles”. 1965-70.

Question 16

Answer 16

Binford was also known for debate with French archaeologist François Bordes, with whom he argued over the interpretation of Mousterian sites. Bordes interpreted variability in Mousterian assemblages as evidence of different tribes, while Binford felt variability in assemblages could reflect the spatial organization of the cultural systems.