Preservation and Destruction of Evidence Flashcards
Climate
Preservation of Evidence
Dry climates create an absence of moisture, preventing natural decay (e.g. Egypt).
Temperate regions preserve evidence under layers of silt in areas like lakes and rivers (e.g. Lindow Man).
Cold climates freeze and prevent natural decay (e.g. Otzi the Iceman).
Geological Conditions
Preservation of Evidence
The composition of soil in some areas may react with evidence to preserve it, such as minerals preventing organic decay or layers of ash encasing it (e.g. Pompeii).
Actions of People
Preservation of Evidence
Deliberate preservation refers to actions humans actively take to prevent the degradation of evidence.
Accidental preservation is preserving heritage in ways such as having burial customs, allowing artefacts to be rediscovered, or carbonising their own artefacts with fire.
Rediscovery of Evidence
Preservation of Evidence
Archaeologists actively attempt to rediscover artefacts while occasionally, they are simply found. An example of this is with wartime hoards — such as one in 1992 Hoxne, England where a stash was hidden during the Anglo-Saxon invasion.
Climate Change
Destruction of Evidence: Natural Environment
Climate change, natural disasters and weathering effects cause immense loss in the present and past by destroying evidence.
Plants
Destruction of Evidence: Natural Environment
Plants can cause damage, such as in Angkor, Cambodia, where tree roots destroyed ancient ruins.
Animals
Destruction of Evidence: Natural Environment
Animals can cause damage, such as termites eating into wooden artefacts.
Warfare
Destruction of Evidence: Human Agents
Warfare is the worst example of human destructiveness, accompanied by looting and damage (e.g. Taliban dynamiting of Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001).
Tourism
Destruction of Evidence: Human Agents
Tourism causes mass crowds to cause damage to archaeological sites through mere interaction, such as touch, souvenirs, photographing and breathing.
Development
Destruction of Evidence: Human Agents
Development in trying a provide for modern needs struggles to coexist with historical preservation.
Pollution
Destruction of Evidence: Human Agents
Various forms of pollution cause damage, in particular air pollution, which can cause corrosive acid rain (e.g. Athenian Acropolis), and ground pollution.
