Long Answer Question: Steps In Archaeological Research Flashcards
2 Reasons Why Archaeology Still Exists?
- research
- salvage/heritage protection
Research Projects
- occur within university/museum contexts
- involve undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, professors working in teams
- can involve working with external community members
Step 1: Research Question
ex. animal bones and subsistence: In areas where Indigenous people lived for a long time and fished in the same areas, do we see an impact on the population of wild animals?
Step 2: Background Research
- research builds on knowledge that already exists
- has someone already investigated this question? (how could you bring a new perspective?)
- does your question pertain to a cultural group who may have an interest in your proposed research?
Example: Did long-term fishing by Wendat people have an impact on the size of fish in local lakes?
- background research sources:
- archaeological reports
- info from biologists about fish growth and behaviour
- palaeoclimate data on possible changes in water levels or temperature
Step 3: Plan
- practice sustainable arch collection that has minimal impact on arch record
- using artifacts in museums or other places
ex. Wendat fishing: alr excavated site with fish bones, then get permission from Wendat Nation for analysis
Step 4: Resources
- tools (computers, cameras, excavation equipment)
- travel (museums, excavation sites, libraries)
- personnel (assistants to excavate and analyze, knowledge keepers)
- long-term data/artifact storage (artifact curation, data storage)
Step 5: Find Funding
- government grants
- external funding agencies for scholarly research
Step 6: Get Permissions (Arch Field Work)
permits or licenses
Museum Work
permission from the museum
Indigenous Communities
Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) to work on ancestral artifacts and sites
Work With People
- ex. ethnoarchaeology, experimental archaeology, bones of ancestors
- prem from research ethics board
Step 7: Data Collection
- excavation
- artifact analysis
ex. Wendat fishing: identify fish bones and measure them
Step 8: Data Analysis
- summarize data
- compare data (graphs, tables, statistical analysis)
ex. Wendat fishing example: measurements summarized, put in tables, size compared
Step 9: Interpretation
- did you find a difference or a pattern?
- what could explain it?
ex. Wendat fishing: findings show that earlier occupation had smaller fish, opposite to expectation if long-term fishing impacted fish populations, possible change in technology, small fish caught with baskets/basket-traps?
