Lecture 5 - Intro To Archaeology

Question 1

What is the archaeological record?

Answer 1

Material remains that document past activity.

Question 2

What are the three classes of archaeological data?

Answer 2

1. Artifacts, Features, Ecofacts; 2. Sites; 3. Regions.

Question 3

What are artifacts?

Answer 3

Portable objects whose form has been wholly or partially modified by humans.

Examples include arrowheads, pottery, baskets, and bone tools.

Question 4

What are features?

Answer 4

Non-portable human or nonhuman made remains that cannot be removed from their place of discovery without altering or destroying their original form.

Examples include skeletons and houses with their artifacts.

Question 5

What are ecofacts?

Answer 5

Non-artifact natural remains that have cultural significance.

Examples include plant remains and animal bones.

Question 6

What defines a site in archaeology?

Answer 6

Any place on the landscape with evidence of human activity, which could contain artifacts, features, and ecofacts.

Question 7

What are the classifications of sites?

Answer 7

Habitation sites, kill sites (hunting sites), and quarry sites (places for raw materials).

Question 8

What are regions in archaeological terms?

Answer 8

Physically definable areas (enclosed by mountains, lakes, etc.) that show spatial distribution of sites over the landscape.

Question 9

What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying regions?

Answer 9

Advantages include larger scale analysis of trade, exchange, roads, and shared beliefs; disadvantages include being time-consuming and expensive.

Question 10

What is the matrix in archaeology?

Answer 10

The physical substance that surrounds archaeological material, such as underwater, ice, or dirt.

Question 11

What is provenience?

Answer 11

The exact location of a find within the matrix, usually recorded in 3D.

Question 12

What is the Law of Association?

Answer 12

Developed by JJA Worsaae, it states that items found together on the same horizontal plane are of similar age.

Example: triple burial at Dolni-Vestonice, Czech Republic, 27,000 BP.

Question 13

What does stratum refer to?

Answer 13

A layer composed of layers, often studied through stratigraphy.

Question 14

What is the Law of Superposition?

Answer 14

In a set of strata, the order of deposition must have been from lowest to uppermost, meaning lower layers are older and higher layers are newer.

Question 15

What are transformational processes in archaeology?

Answer 15

Cultural processes (C-Transforms) involve human activities that modify the environment and leave material evidence.

Question 16

What are the four idealized stages of cultural formation processes of artifacts?

Answer 16

1. Acquisition; 2. Manufacture; 3. Use; 4. Dispose.

Question 17

What are natural processes in archaeology?

Answer 17

Dynamic and continuous processes (N-Transforms) that are unique to each situation and can move materials even after burial.

Question 18

What is an example of natural processes affecting archaeological sites?

Answer 18

Fast flowing rivers can move material after burial.

Example: Olorgesalie site, Kenya, where hand axes were redeposited by a fast stream.

Question 19

What are some examples of natural processes that can disturb archaeological materials?

Answer 19

Burrowing insects and animals, tree roots, earthquakes, tsunamis, and ice freezing/thawing.