Lecture 15 - Intro To Archaeology *

Question 1

What is the significance of paleoenvironment in understanding human history?

Answer 1

Humans are part of the global ecosystem and their existence is closely tied to the local environment, which provided food and materials.

Understanding the paleoenvironment is crucial to explain how and why people lived the way they did in the past.

Question 2

What does the study of economy in prehistoric human groups focus on?

Answer 2

How prehistoric human groups made their living, including food, materials, collection methods, and tools used.

Question 3

What information can oxygen isotopes from deep sea cores provide?

Answer 3

18O isotope ratios can reveal temperature and environmental changes.

Question 4

What were the sea levels like during the Pleistocene?

Answer 4

Sea levels were quite low due to Eustasy and Isostasy.

Question 5

Define Eustasy.

Answer 5

Rising and lowering of sea levels, with drops during glaciation and rises as glaciers melt.

Question 6

Define Isostasy.

Answer 6

Rising and lowering of the Earth’s crust due to the pressure of ice during glaciation and subsequent rebound.

Question 7

What is the forebulge effect?

Answer 7

One section of land depresses while another side rises.

Question 8

What is the role of ecofacts in paleoenvironment analysis?

Answer 8

Ecofacts are organic materials classified according to biological taxonomies, important for understanding past environments.

Question 9

What are macro botanical and micro botanical remains?

Answer 9

Macro botanical remains are larger plant remains, while micro botanical remains are smaller, often requiring specialized analysis.

Question 10

What are phytoliths?

Answer 10

Particles of plant silica found in hearths, pots, and tools, indicative of plant types utilized.

Question 11

What are diatoms and why are they significant?

Answer 11

Diatoms are phytoplankton that can indicate whether coastal sites were near ocean or fresh water.

Question 12

What is the process for extracting macro botanical remains?

Answer 12

Soil samples are collected from the site and returned to the lab for analysis.

Question 13

What distinguishes microfauna from macrofauna?

Answer 13

Microfauna are small animals sensitive to climatic changes, while macrofauna are larger animals that may be transported from different ecological zones.

Question 14

What are the four general categories of subsistence strategies?

Answer 14

• Hunter-gatherers
• Horticulture
• Pastoralism
• Agriculture

Question 15

What characterizes the subsistence strategy of hunter-gatherers?

Answer 15

Primarily collection of wild foods, with a mobile lifestyle and varying plant/animal content based on environment.

Question 16

What is horticulture?

Answer 16

Small scale farming with domesticated plants produced in low intensity, often including small animals.

Question 17

Define pastoralism.

Answer 17

Herding animals for subsistence, with a reliance on products from animals like cattle, sheep, and goats.

Question 18

What is agriculture?

Answer 18

Intensive production of domesticated plants and animals, leading to higher crop yields and larger populations.

Question 19

What types of evidence support archaeological findings related to subsistence?

Answer 19

• Artifact function
• Historical documents
• Depictions of art
• Ecofacts
• Bone chemistry (isotopes)

Question 20

What is archaeobotany?

Answer 20

The study of plant remains and their preservation, often involving techniques like flotation.

Question 21

What are residues on artifacts indicative of?

Answer 21

Starches and other remnants that provide insight into past food processing.

Question 22

What is zooarchaeology?

Answer 22

The study of human use of animals in antiquity, focusing on diet and seasonality.

Question 23

What is the importance of coprolites in archaeological studies?

Answer 23

Paleo feces contains mostly plant remains and sometimes small animal bones, providing dietary insights.

Question 24

What is subsistence?

Answer 24

Food, how it’s obtained, processed, stored, distributed, consumed, and discarded.