Module 9- Monuments

Question 1

Monumentality

Answer 1

A construction built larger than “necessary” (in the minds of archaeologists) for its function within society

Question 2

Conspicuous consumption

Answer 2

Spending or otherwise using resources without regard to availability; often a sign of social power

Question 3

Time perspectivism

Answer 3

The consideration of a monument on two distinct time scales simultaneously – the time needed for construction and the long-term presence of the monument

Question 4

Scale

Answer 4

in this case refers to the observational scale changing relative to the time scale

Question 5

Utilitarian versus non-utilitarian

Answer 5

Everyday use versus non-everyday use (or functional versus non-functional)

Question 6

Formal leadership

Answer 6

Social system where a particular person is considered the leader at all times

Question 7

Circular argument

Answer 7

An attempt at reasoning where A is dependent on B and B is dependent on A; results in poor arguments that lack reasoning

Question 8

Energetic baseline

Answer 8

Comparison of the number of person-days required for construction; estimates at best, but provides a universal means for comparison

Question 9

Built environment

Answer 9

Environment that is constructed by human activity; can be small scale (local) or large scale (regional)

Question 10

Local built environment

Answer 10

Small-scale environment constructed or modified by human activity (village, city, etc.)

Question 11

Regional built environments

Answer 11

Large-scale environment constructed or modified by human activity (road systems, Great Wall of China, etc.)

Question 12

Agriculture and monumental construction

Answer 12

Long presumed (based on data available) by archaeologists that food production necessarily preceded monumental construction, as it would be necessary to feed the construction workers

Question 13

Abandonment

Answer 13

When humans cease to use a once occupied space

Question 14

Importance of open spaces

Answer 14

Open spaces between monumental constructions believed to have been used to gather crowds; monuments may have functioned to constrain crowds

Question 15

Göbekli Tepe

Answer 15

Pre-agriculture monumental site, currently argued to be ritual in nature, in Anatolia (modern Turkey)

Question 16

Domestic buildings

Answer 16

structures used for housing, household activities

Question 17

Non-domestic buildings

Answer 17

Structures not used for housing, household activities

Question 18

Public architecture

Answer 18

Structures believed to have functioned as something other than someone’s home (even a palace is essentially a home); note: term “public” does not necessarily imply that all members of a society had access to these structures

Question 19

T-shaped pillars

Answer 19

Freestanding stone pilars at Göbekli Tepe; many, but not all, are decorated with carvings

Question 20

Bas-relief / low relief carvings

Answer 20

Carvings that are only a few centimeters deep (rather than carved in the round); two terms for the same thing

Question 21

Zoomorphic carvings

Answer 21

Carvings that depict animals, whether real or mythical

Question 22

Anthropomorphic carvings

Answer 22

Carvings in the human form

Question 23

Legitimacy

Answer 23

Way of enforcing access to social power

Question 24

Stonehenge

Answer 24

Ritual site in SW England

Question 25

Traditional construction sequence of Stonehenge

Answer 25

Long-standing argument that Stonehenge initially lacked any stone in construction, followed by Bluestones, followed by sarsen construction and re-arrangements of sarsen and Bluestones.

Question 26

Bluestones

Answer 26

Early construction element at Stonehenge, imported from Wales; may have originally been used in a monument in Wales

Question 27

Sarsen stones

Answer 27

Later construction element at Stonehenge; much more local than Bluestones, although most brought in from a distance of 20-25 km

Question 28

Trilithons

Answer 28

Three-stone structures at Stonehenge

Question 29

Waun Mawn

Answer 29

Early Henge site Wales that may be the origin point of the Stonehenge Bluestones

Question 30

Bluestonehenge

Answer 30

Recently discovered Henge monument near Stonehenge, constructed of Bluestones

Question 31

Garbage Project

Answer 31

Research project into modern refuse, including both roadside collections and excavating landfills

Question 32

What we say versus what we do.

Answer 32

Early observation made by Garbage Project – people often respond to interview questions with the answer they think the interviewer wants to hear rather than the factual truth

Question 33

Lean Cuisine syndrome

Answer 33

Attempt to demonstrate a healthy lifestyle or diet by buying “healthy” items (which may or may not be consumed)

Question 34

Over-reporting vs. under-reporting

Answer 34

When self-reporting food use, people tend to “over-report” (over-estimate, often substantially) items considered healthy and “under-report” (under-estimate, often substantially) items considered unhealthy

Question 35

Good Provider syndrome

Answer 35

Name given to people who attempt to impress others with their ability to purchase large amounts of healthy (and other) food for their household, often to the point of excess

Question 36

Household hazardous waste

Answer 36

Day-to-day items found around the home that are extremely hazardous; nail polish is the most highly toxic item found in most homes

Question 37

Biodegradation

Answer 37

The natural breaking down of biological items after death or after discard

Question 38

Landfill

Answer 38

Modern areas used to contain enormous amounts of refuse; oddly enough, these are forms of monumental architecture

Question 39

Public perceptions of landfill contents

Answer 39

Uninformed opinions about the primary contents of modern landfills, grossly over-estimating the frequencies of plastic, Styrofoam, and disposable diapers

Question 40

5 myths of North American garbage

Answer 40

Common misconceptions about what is in landfills, what occurs in landfills (biodegradation), the lack of space anywhere for additional landfills, and the idea that people produce (per capita) more garbage than ever before

Question 41

Cosmetic use during WWII

Answer 41

Cosmetic use was encouraged and expected of women both in the military and outside of it

Question 42

Recruiting tools

Answer 42

Gifts of cosmetics often used as a means of recruiting women into the military or nursing

Question 43

Propaganda

Answer 43

A means of persuading people into thinking a particular way; most commonly used by governments

Question 44

WWII Geoglyphs

Answer 44

Recently discovered WWII-era bomb targets – including replicas of full-sized battleships – in the desert southwestern US

Question 45

Material culture as social information

Answer 45

Everyday items, including clothing, convey social information to everyone who sees you

Question 46

Clothing and social information

Answer 46

What people choose to wear passes along important information about how a person views themselves, social connections they possess or wish to appear to possess, etc.

Question 47

Controlled conformity

Answer 47

A means of for a power structure (such as an employer) to maintain social control by forcing conformity of appearance – such as requiring all male employees to wear a tie or all employees to keep tattoos and similar markings covered

Question 48

Emulation

Answer 48

An attempt to project the same level of social power and distinction as the elite class by attempting to “copy” what they do, wear, carry, etc.

Question 49

Identity creation

Answer 49

Using material goods to give off the appearance of a desired social persona, whether real or imagined

Question 50

Group identification

Answer 50

Claiming connection with a particular social group, regardless of actual acceptance of that group

Question 51

Casual Friday

Answer 51

Common tactic in office settings where employees are “permitted” to break with conformity one day a week – by conforming in a different way

Question 52

Impermanence of symbolic meaning