Archaeology 11
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Complete list of Terms and Definitions for Archaeology 11

Terms Definitions
Chauvet 34000
4. stratgraphic excavation
Varves annual sediment laminations
ossuaries boxes, caves, chambers
artifacts objects made by humans
Kura Araxes 3500-2300 BC Southern Caucuses Blackened pottery ware spread to NE Semisedentary pastoralists Migrated out because of climate change Not a state
Interpreting Artifacts Historical documents, Commodities, Ideas
Features Features are non-profitable artifacts such as pits, walls, and buildings that can't be moved or lose value.
adaptive perspective emphasizes technology, ecology, demography and economics as defining human behavior
Stonehenge -In Wilshire, U.K. -Archaeologists have believed that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC, as described in the chronology below -Archaeological evidence found by the Stonehenge Riverside Project in 2008 indicates that Stonehenge served as a burial ground from its earliest beginnings.[5] The dating of cremated remains found on the site indicate burials from as early as 3000 BC, when the initial ditch and bank were first dug. Burials continued at Stonehenge for at least another 500 years.
Archaeology a subdiscipline of anthropology involving the study of the human past through its material remains.
The Lowlands -extensive agriculture, poor/organic soils, slash & burn sifting agriculture, use of ridged fields, dispersed populations, tropical rain-forest or jungle region
special-purpose sites places where specialized activities were conducted
provenience precise context, place of objects recovered during excavation
bands small, loosely organized groups of people living together
Anyang Excavation led by Professor Li Ji Discovered Yinxu-last Shang capital Found palace/temple zone, oracle bone pits, royal cemetery, residential areas, farming communities
taxon classification of a skeletal element to a taxonomic category -species, genus, family, order
Cryoturbation Freeze/thaw activity in soil that pushes artifacts to the surface.
alluvial sediments sediments transported by flowing water
Culture the knowledge, beliefs, customs and values of a group of people
Theories of a State Urban Revolution Ecology, irrigation Technology, trade Warfare Cultural Systems Environmental Change Competing chiefdoms
Pleistocene the geologic epoch extending from about 2,000,000 BP to 10,000 BP during which continental and alpine glaciers alternately advanced and receeded over large portions of North America
experimental archaeology conducting controlled experiments with ancient technologies and other methods to provide a basis for interpreting ancient human behavior
El Paraiso El Paraiso: Nine Architectural complexes 3 stories high. 100,000 tons of quarried stone used in construction. Little occupational debris. Peru
A geologic process whereby fine sediment is blown away by the wind and larger items (including artifacts) are lowered onto a common surface and thus become recognizable sites deflation
transformation processes actions that change the archaeological record from its original form
Uniformitarianism The argument that explanations of past events have to be based in natural processes that can be observed at work in the world today.
history the recorded study of the past, including past events.
excavation the process of digging up the remains.
assemblage a collection of artifacts from a site
Morphological classifications convey general information about the properties of artifacts but, they often conflate attributes of tool use (function), technology and/or style
resources materials found in the earth that people need and value
sedimentary rock rock formed when the weathered products of preexisting rocks have been transported by and deposited in water and are turned once again to stone
magnetometer measures the earth's magnetic field at an archaeological site to locate buried walls and pits
Intermediate Periods Separate three kingdoms of Ancient Egypt (old, middle, new). During these times there was no one leader. The third intermediate period one where the Greek kings (Ptolemy kings) ruled
Mississippian A widespread cultural tradition in the southeastern United States from the tenth to fifteenth century AD and more recently.
Interpretation Pieces info together about time period & making educated guess
Stratified Random Sampling Unbiased (maybe). Divide landscape into different environmental zones. - Randomly sample each zone. - Apportion number of samples based on area of each zone (2/5 in sloping zone) (3/5 in flat zone). Insures some sampling of all environments.
prehistory history that took place before the development of writing
landscape archaeology The study of ancient human modification of the environment.
porcelain fine clays fired at higher temps, completely vitrified (glassy, materials melt together), "china"
A length of time distinguished by particular items of material culture period
Horizontal excavation exposure of large areas. diggind down to one level, begin with test units
Mikea A little-known people in the forest of south-western Madagascar who grow maize and manioc, raise cattle, and do some hunting and gathering. They live in 4 major types of settlements.
Nuclear DNA located in the cell nucleus, combines DNA from each parent
open-air sites sites on land and uncovered, in contrast to sites in caves or rockshelters
Harris Matrix tool used to depict the temporal succession of archaeological contexts and thus the sequence of deposition on a "dry land" archaeological site. the matrix reflects the relative position and stratigraphic contacts of observable stratigraphic units, or contexts
chanka rival society to the Incas in the highlands of Peru
Cambyses king of Persia in 525 (after Cyrus) when they overtook Egypt; army consisted of Ionian and Aeolian Greeks and Cypriots
organic material that has once lived or is living
Assyria/Assyrian The Assyrians lived in the North of Mesopotamia and spoke Akkadian. 2000-500 B.C.
Eridu, Iraq One of the world's earliest cities, famous for its shrine, c. 4000 BC and later.
chi-square (x2) a statistical test of association for nominal scale information
hydraulic systems theory Need to control irrigation systems. Water control increases production, but demands labor and organization. Large Hydraulic works sustain cities and become essential to subsistence.
Climate change in CO2 cause plants to go crazy
New Archaeology an approach to archaeology that arose in the 1960s emphasizing the understanding of underlying cultural processes and the use of the scientific method; today's version of the "new archaeology" is sometimes called processual archaeology
(Native American Culture Areas) Who was this concept solidified by? Clark Wissler in 1917
3 research specialists in floral analysis paleobotanist, paleoethnobotanist, palynologist
craft specialisation when one makes surplus of crafts for distribution.
Primary Source source produced at the time of the event.
Fertile Crescent Hypothesis James Breasted: fertile soils led to surplus grains (floodplains of Nile and Mesopotamia), surplus grains led to artisans and specialists, specialists led to stratified societies
Prey Choice Model When encountering prey, you chose the animal that maximizes the amount if calories acquired while minimizing the amount of calories expended in catching the animal.
Machu Picchu 1450-1532 AD. Built as a royal retreat for Incan king
Indus Valley city planning Harappan society divided in cardinal directions Standardized weights/measurements Cultural uniformity but no classes Widespread Seals not administrative use Cultural interchange
Law of Superposition underlying levels are older than those that cover them
Locations in space of Mogollon Mountain Cultures of Arizona,New Mexico, and Northern Mexico
C14 Counts the C14 atoms that are in the sample to see how old it is.
Shanidar Cave, Iraq & Flower Burial found 9 individual neanderthals burial with flower pollen
sagital crest jaw muscle too big to cling to brain- so clings to protuded bone ontop on skull
King Tut Pharaoh at age 9 Died at 19 of malaria (oldest genetic proof of this disease) Product of incestuous marriage Frail & weak Valley of the Kings tomb undisturbed
What we see with homo erectus Acheulean handaxes, fire, campsites, hunting (Daka, Ethiopia)
Logical fallacies & faulty reasoning A. Incorrect assumption of a cause/effect relationship B. Inaccurate/distorted use/interpretation of numerical statistical data C. Faulty analogy: Comparison is carried too far, or the things compared have nothing in common D. Oversimplification: Revelant information is ignored in order to make a point. E. Stereotyping: People or objects are lumped together under simplistic labels. F. Ignoring the Question: digression, obfuscation, etc. G. Faulty Generalization: judgment is made on the basis of inaccurate or insufficient evidence.
pit grave a shallow grave hollowed out of a bed of rock or the floor
The Evolution of Complex Societies in Mesopotamia Mesopotamia (between rivers), the alluvial lowland between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (modern-day Iraq), is home to the world's oldest urban societies. Control of these rivers was essential for agriculture to succeed in Mesopotamia. Within a few thousand years, modest farming communities gave rise to the great urban societies of the ancient world.
Otzi the Iceman Found in 1991 in the Alps. Dates to 3200. Before both pyramids and Bronze Age! Was dug out with a ski pole (no context D:) Found lots of stuff with him. Broken bones, some missing body parts. Was tattooed! Probably ritual and healing type of tattoos. Grew lots of fungus when he warmed up. About 5'2", somewhere between 25 and 40, weighed about 120 lbs, or at least what's left of him.
lack of objective accounts in slavery • Lots of written documents about slave life but written by slave holders • History of oppressed often written by their oppressors • Written perspective are often written by the rich • What is written is very business like o Rations o Numbers o State of health o How much paid for • Documents about how slave cabins should be built o Take in mind: health of occupants • Convience of surveillance and water/wood • Economy of construction • Not supported by archaeological record • Andrew Jackson's estate Hemitage • Each slave 1 wooden structure 400 ft^2 • Attic, wooden flood, 1 window, 1 door, no matter size of family • Military style, barriers,  Suggests lives shaped by 1 authority • Plantation houses act as oppositions  Loom over slave quarters  Relationship between slave and master is natural • Uncle tom's cabin  Written with agenda in mind  To make slavery look bad
(Tasmania) When were Tasmanian Aborigines contacted? By who later? When did they go extinct? 1st in 1642, & again in 1772 by French explorer Marion du Fresne; extinct by 1882.
(African Hunter-Gathers, Past & Present) Eland's Bay Cave- - 13 - 8 KYA -13 KYA, hunted large & medium antelop - 11-9 KYA, smaller browsing animals, estuarine & marine animals & limpets were hunted & gathered. -8 KYA, small browsing animals, mussels & fish were hunted and collected. *-* Climate changed from colder conditions of the Pleistocene ca. 13 KYA to warmer conditions between about 8-5 KYA(sea also rises)... Switch to other food necessarey.(Large mammals going extinct too)
Bone Needles ...
Historic Period Definition:
dendrochronology tree ring counting
Jerusalem Artichoke Subspecies of sunflower
kinship relationship between individual members in society based on family ties
UP Significant Changes:Four Industries ChatelperronianAurignacianGrevettianSolutrian
excuvate to remove or dig up
food production Agriculture and animal domestication.
Sparta king was Melenaus; Greek city-state
site place where artifacts are found.
Hiram Bingram Discovered Machu Pichu, 1908
Jean-Francois Champollion 1790 - 1832 Rosetta Stone!
Barbara Bender Social Theory- hunter-gatherers were becoming more complex at the end of the Pleistocene; a surplus of production required a new cover of social and kinship obligations. Food production is an outcome of the increasing need for surplus to support the increasingly complicated social structures of the groups at the end of the Pleistocene.
Synchronic studies within a single time period
natural transformation modification of the archaeological record by geological, hydrological, or chemical activity
ethnography the branch of anthropology that provides scientific description of individual human societies
tumulus mounds that contained tomb chambers; ancient and modern robbers; culturally significant to Lydians after being conquered by Persians; tumulus MM (wood, rubble, stone)
feature a prominitent part of a cherasistic
weathering chemical and biological processes that break down and change the surface of the earth, altering its color, texture, or composition
paleodemography the study of ancient demographic patterns and trends
Dog Domestication Possible dog domestication in burials w/humans shorter snout than wild dogs
Paleopathology: the study of ancient disease, deformity, and death.
Gender Determination Possible only for individuals adolescent or older Pelvis most reliable way to sex a skeleton
Sungir, Russia 22,000 BP found clothing, spears, teeth, beeds, and worked materials
4.6 billion years ago when did earth begin?
radiocarbon concentrations- ____ _____ _____ absolute specific activity
King Djojer Built step pyramid at Saqqara First large-scale stone building
reciprocity a mode of exchange in which transactions take place between individuals who are symmetrically placed
Decline of Mycenaeans 1150 BC, mycenaean civilization collapses, internal fighting among elites, shortage of food/trade goods, trade suspended, cities dependent on trade are abandoned, followed by Greek dark ages (colonies in Italy, Africa, geometric pottery)
Poverty Point 3600 bp, located in Louisiana. Monumental landscape constructed by hunter-gatherers. Thought to be historical atlas symbolizing history and ancestry.
Ramses I The founding Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 19th dynasty. He reigned for a very short period. His mummy was stolen by grave robbers and brought a Niagara Falls museum. He remained there, his identity unknown, for more than 130 years. He was rediscovered by scientists and sold to an American museum. His identity cannot be conclusively determined, but evidence points to Ramses I. The mummy's arms were found crossed high across his chest which was a position reserved solely for Egyptian royalty. His mummy was returned to Egypt.
Bin Tepe many mounds in clusters, presumably city centers; could represent Lydians trying to hold on to their heritage after Persian conquest by being buried in a mound or change from when only royals could be buried in mounds
archaeologist a professional scholar who studies the human past through its physical remains
geology the science that deals with the dynamics and physical history of the earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the physical, chemical, and biological changes that the earth has undergone or is undergoing
Karl Wittfogel The Irrigation Hypothesis - large scale irrigation led to archaic states. set asian societies on a different evolutionary course
Symbol Arbitrary - sign with associated and often complex meaning - Thought to be an exclusively human behavior - If you don't know history, etc. - You won't know meaning of behavior
Hilly Flanks Hypothesis - Robert Braidwood - Domestication Hypothesis - At the beginning of Holocene, people were living in between the Zagres and Taurus Mountains and collecting wild grains on hilly flanks - With intensification of use and collection of grain comes domestication
warm-adapted faunas European bison, aurochs, red deer, wild boar, moose, ibex, chamois, cave bear, lynx, lion, hyena, wolves, fox
Massaccelerator Technology used to count the C12, C13, and C14 molecules of an object for C14 Dating
Acheulian industry in Africa between 1.7 mya and 200,000 years ago has bifaces
Industrial Archaeology Study buildings and structures from the Industrial Revolution or later (railroads, cotton plantations, windmills, housing in England, etc.)
geographic context describes the situation of a site relative to its surroundings
secondary source an account of a historical event written by someone who did not witness an historical event
Linguistic anthropology seeks to understand the processes of human communications, verbal and non-verbal, and the relationship between language and culture
Taphonomy Study of what happens to plants and animals after they die
occurrence principle a historical class will have an unbroken (continuous) distribution through time.
Dendrochron tree ring counting ( the oldest type of scientific dating)
random sample a sample drawn from a statistical population such that every member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample
Jackson Ambani juju man- performs magic to influence the outcome of soccer games
modern archaeology the study of modern society using careful archaeological meathods - most archaeologists today no longer look only for beautiful objects
middle range theory says artifacts are functional and symbolic.
magdalenian the last major culture of the european Upper paleolithic period (18000-12000 BP). carved tools of bone and antler. Cave art.
NEAR EAST PLANTS -OLDEST (10,000 BCE) - WHEAT, BARLEY, BARLEY, LEGUMES, DATES
Aerial Photography Search for former sites and past landscapes.
Pueblo Bonito Pueblo Bonito: a massive 650- room complex, the largest Great House in Chaco Canyon. Social Inequalities, due to burials. Debate over construction due to drought or trade.
AMS radiocarbon dating dating technique that makes it possible to date very small samples, including plant remains
Historical archaeology Excavate sites from periods in which written language exists. Medieval castles in England, colonial America, etc.
anthropogenic soils soils formed as the result of human activity
the rate of hydration rind formatuion depends on teh _____ and teh properties of its ___________ _______ obsidian, depositional environment
Nariokotome, Kenya Site on the west shore of Lake Turkana, which yielded a boy skeleton, the earliest known Homo erectus remains in the world, at 1.9 mya.
Direct Dating uses analysis of object itself to find its age
formation processes the ways in which human behaviors and natural actions operate to produce the archaeological record
Joan Gero's (1985) article demonstrates that Archaeological studies are influenced by present day values, prejudices,norms and politics, both in terms of how we interpret the past, as well as in how our discipline is structured.
standard deviation the square root of the variance, a single measure of spread
optimal foraging theory foragers select food that optimize the return rate
archaeological record, 16 the material remains and patterns of past human activities and behaviors.
What kinds of animals were found at Chavin de Huantar domesticated camelids
Index fossils (concept) Is both a relative AND a chronometric dating technique. The idea that strata containing similar fossil assemblages are of similar age. This concept enables archaeologists to characterize and date strata within sites using distinctive artifact forms that research shows to be diagnostic of a particular period of time. Fossils of certain extinct creatures are always found in certain strata. Example: the Latolei Footprints.
Three key concepts in culture-historical archaeology Artifact-types - Artifacts that share the same design features  Ex. Bowl, pyramid, spear, Swiss Army knife o Assemblages - Groups of artifacts from the same context o Assemblage-groups - Assemblages containing similar kinds of artifact-types  We observe variation in assemblage-groups, and we can infer information about culture from this variation.
african burial ground dated from 1690 to 1790. 427 burials. large muscles. half died before age 12 from disease and cold climate.
29( Describe archaeological Excavation technique. ·        It is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains.
Minoan Crete 7 or 8 palaces 2000 - 1200 bce One of which is...Knossos!
Myth of the Mound Builders Jefferson first notes mounds in book published. Common belief was natives could not have built mounds. Must have been some other ancestral group
Robust forms and A. Robustus Big jaws and huge molars southern africa, 2-1 MYA
What are the four cultures in the Upper Paleolithic? aurignacian, gravettian, solutrean, and magdalenian
What are the three types of Methodology? SurveyExcavation (Phase 1, 2, & 3)Post-excavation analysis (Analysis, Curation, Publication)
What are the two African origins of the domestic donkey? Hypothesis: There were 2 ancestors from 2 separate domestication events of the modern donkey clade 1: modern donkeys are indistinguishable from Nubian wild ass (mitochondrial DNA) -Petrie was right; modern donkey might not be far from wild ass clade 2: not derived from modern Somali wild ass; no idea what the ancestor is *clades are not distributed geographically.
Essential features if a field photo 1) scale of known size so you can see how big things are 2) North arrow which shows the direction of the photograph 3) photograph label