terms, skills and concepts Flashcards
What is archaeology?
the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artefacts and other physical remains.
What is a primary source
a primary source is an artifact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording, or any other source of information that was created at the time under study.
What is BCE?
BCE stands for ‘Before Common Era’ which means before year 1 CE.
What is CE?
CE stands for ‘Common Era’
The era we are living in now
What is BC
BC stands for ‘Before Christ’ but this term has been replaced by ‘BCE’
What is AD?
AD stands for ‘Anno Donimi’ but has now been replaced my ‘CE’
What does circa mean?
Circa means around the time
What does Stratigraphy mean?
Stratigraphy involves analysing sources found in the different strata (places like houses, etc) of earth.
What does century mean?
100 years
What is a secondary source?
a secondary source of information is one that was created later by someone who did not experience first-hand or participate in the events or conditions you’re researching. For the purposes of a historical research project, secondary sources are generally scholarly books and articles.
Dendrochronology
the science or technique of dating events, environmental change, and archaeological artefacts by using the characteristic patterns of annual growth rings in timber and tree trunks.
Absolute dating techniques
Allow the age of the object to be stated PRECISELY
Relative dating techniques
Can only determine whether an object is of earlier or more recent date relative. (Not precise)
Fluorine dating
Bones absorb the chemical element fluorine from the soil in which they are immersed. The longer they are there, the more fluorine they absorb.
Radiocarbon dating
Is an absolute dating technique. All living things contain a particular type of carbon called C14, which is why we are called carbon-based life forms. This carbon is continuously renewed while an organism is alive.
