Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Archaeology 1000 > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

1
Q

What do archaeologists study?

A

Remains of past cultures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

one main concern of archaeology

A

study of artifacts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

artifact

A

an object made by a human being that is portable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

why are artifacts important

A

help answer key questions about the past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

feature

A

artifacts that are humanly made and non-portable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Structures

A

buildings of all kinds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are structure examples

A

houses, palaces and granaries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

ecofacts

A

natural objects, that have survived from earlier cultures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

ecofacts are not usually

A

substantially modified by humans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

importance of ecofacts

A

reveals past human activities like what they ate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

examples of ecofacts

A

animal bones, plant remains and sediments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

sites

A

locations of past human activity, where archaeological material is found

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what are sites associated with

A

artifacts and features

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

how long does a site have to be used

A

doesn’t matter. it could be years or hours.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

tell

A

a site human occupied for a long timespan

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what is important to do about reconstructing the past

A

understand the context of the find

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

context allows archaeologists to

A

built a wider and clear construction of the past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

context

A

position of the find in space and time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

assemblage

A

a group of artifacts consistently are found together that represent a past culture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

sub-assemblage

A

groupings of artifacts based on behavior or use

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what does context do

A

determine the function and significance of any artifact

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what do finds have a relationship with

A

space and time with other finds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

types of context

A

primary and secondary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

primary context

A

The context of a find that has not been disturbed since its original deposition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

secondary context

A

artifacts that have been redeposited or shifted from their original position

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

what can cause secondary context

A

forces of nature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

what does moving a find do

A

destroys primary context and any important evidence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

why/how does secondary context destroy primary context

A

if an object was moved from the original position

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

matrix

A

the surroundings of the find that touch it as it’s in the ground

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

association

A

the discovery of artifacts along with other remains in the same matrix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

why is association important

A

it accurately records and identifies relations between remains found on sites

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

what is the issue with looters

A

digging up with no care for matrix, provenience or association loses contextual info

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Provenience

A

An artifact’s horizontal and vertical location in the sediment or where an article came from (private supplier, a site…)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

in situ

A

an artifact has not been moved from it’s original deposition or place

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

how to know if an artifact is in situ

A

the soil is when it’s been disturbed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

formation processes

A

processes affecting how archaeological material came to be buried and their history

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

questions asked with formation processes

A
  1. How did archaeological materials go from being used in a living context to their current situation?
  2. How do archaeological materials get to be deposited in the way that they are?
  3. What did these processes do to the objects themselves?
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

formation process importance

A

deciding whether an object was disturbed when interpreting a find

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

types of formation processes

A

cultural and natural

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

cultural formation processes

A

accidental or deliberate activities done by humans before or after deposition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

cultural processes examples

A

making and using artifacts
building and abandoning buildings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

natural formation processes

A

natural events that govern both the burial and the survival of the archaeological record

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

natural formation process example

A

transport of stone tools by a river

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

What is the importance of different formation processes

A

the accurate reconstruction of past human activities.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Experimental Archaeology

A

the study of past behavioral processes through experimental reconstruction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Experimental Archaeology is informative about

A

formation processes that affects physical preservation of materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

kinds of cultural formation processes

A
  1. Those that reflect the original human behavior and activity before a site became buried
  2. Processes that came after the burial.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Why are the two divisions of cultural practice not always the easiest to apply in practice

A

major sites are formed through a complex order of use, burial and reuse.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Human behavior is reflected in four major activities

A
  1. How the raw materials were acquired
  2. Manufacture
  3. Use and distribution
  4. The disposal and discarding of worn out or broken tools.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

most common or obvious cultural formation process

A

last stages of an object, its disposal, or its destruction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

most common cultural formation processes

A
  1. hoards
  2. Deliberate burial
  3. Human destruction
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

hoards

A

Deliberately buried groups of valuables or prized possessions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

hoards are not always easy to distinguish between

A

those intended to be reclaimed and those left with no intention of reclaiming them.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Deliberate burial

A

purposeful deposit of items in the ground to reclaim these items later, though not all are

55
Q

Deliberate burial is a major aspect of

A

original human behavior

56
Q

Human destruction

A

purposeful or accidental destruction of the archeological record by humans (at any point in history)

57
Q

Natural Formation Processes causes

A

decay or enables preservation

58
Q

under normal conditions what survives better

A

inorganic materials survive much better than organic ones.

59
Q

organic materials need what to survive

A

extreme temperatures

60
Q

what is the best evidence for early human behaviors

A

stone tools

61
Q

why are lithics such good evidence

A

can survive for every in soil

62
Q

most common inorganic materials to survive

A

Stone, clay and metals

63
Q

fired clay can make

A

materials are almost indestructible

64
Q

ceramics have traditionally been

A

the main source of evidence.

65
Q

metals that survive well

A

gold, silver and lead

66
Q

why aren’t gold, silver and lead extracted often

A

they are expensive and often are reused and melted down

67
Q

where can you find gold, silver and lead the most

A

in tombs

68
Q

copper and some low-quality bronze leave

A

a green deposit/stain

69
Q

how is it possible to retrieve the vanished items (metals)

A

a cast of the hollow space these metals left behind in the soil

70
Q

the sea can cause metals to be

A

covered in a think layer of metallic salts that preserves the artifact

71
Q

artifacts removed from water without treatment will

A

react with air and be destroyed

72
Q

what leaves the metal artifact safe and clean after water excavation

A

Electrolysis

73
Q

Organic materials are both

A

plant and animal remains
worked animal and plant materials (leather, textiles and food)

74
Q

taphonomy

A

The study of how bones and other materials come to be buried in the earth and preserved as fossils.

75
Q

survival of organic materials is based hugely on the

A

matrix of surrounding material and the climate.

76
Q

survival of organic materials is best in conditions that are

A

inhabitable to most microorganisms that cause decay

77
Q

Best survival environments for organic materials:

A

Those inhospitable to microorganisms
Those that are anaerobic
Those without water
Those of intense cold
Regions of high altitude

78
Q

what climate is the most destructive to organic materials

A

tropical climate

79
Q

why tropical climate is most destructive

A
  1. Roots can dislodge masonry and tear buildings apart
  2. Torrential downpours can destroy paint and plasterwork,
80
Q

why are thick jungles good

A

prevent looters from damaging the sites

81
Q

why temperate climates are also not beneficial

A

changing temperatures and changing precipitation levels accelerate decay.

82
Q

what are natural conservatories

A

caves

83
Q

caves can preserve

A

fragile artifacts such as bones and footprints if not disturbed

84
Q

wetlands preserve organic materials by

A

sealing in a wet and anaerobic condition

85
Q

what is important for preserving waterlogged artifacts

A

waterlogging must be more or less permanent up to the discovery and extraction or else it decomposes

86
Q

John Coles

A

One of the pioneers of wet archaeology of Britain

87
Q

John Coles estimates

A

75-90% to sometimes 100% of finds are organic in waterlogged archaeology

88
Q

why are people beginning to focus more on wet sites.

A

Little to none of the material would survive on dryland sites.

89
Q

what are some of the most important environments for wetland archaeology

A

peat bogs

90
Q

what are some of the most well known finds in peat bogs

A

bog bodies

91
Q

bog bodies

A

human cadaver that has been naturally mummified in a peat bog

92
Q

bog bodies preservation depends mainly on

A

quality of conditions the bodies were deposited.

93
Q

describe what a bog body might look like

A

the skin is still there but bones are often gone as with most of the internal organs.

94
Q

can stomach contents survive in bog bodies

A

yes

95
Q

what is the Greatest contribution to archaeology for wetland sites

A

Timber for the study of tree-rings

96
Q

Major issues with wet archaeology

A
  1. finds deteriorate very quickly when uncovered
  2. have to be kept wet until they are ready to be treated
  3. wet archaeology cost more
97
Q

rewards of wet archaeology

A

yielded the largest number of prehistoric watercrafts from any one region

98
Q

dry environments importance

A

prevents decay

99
Q

how does dry environments prevents decay

A

shortage of water, microorganisms are unable to thrive.

100
Q

Are the pueblo people’s mummies actually mummies

A

no. it was all natural.

101
Q

benefit of cold environments

A

hold the processes of decay in check for thousands of years

102
Q

long-term experimental archaeology

A

test archaeological hypotheses by replicating processes of the past.

103
Q

ozette site

A

Place where a mudslide caped an entire village and preserved it. During excavation, houses were found intact.

104
Q

most spectacular find at Ozette

A

block of red cedar a meter high and carved in the form of a whale’s dorsal fin

105
Q

what was found at must farm

A

Part of a Bronze Age settlement

106
Q

importance of must farm

A
  1. best-preserved Bronze Age dwellings ever found
  2. everything was being used up till the fire
107
Q

why was must farm abandoned

A

a catastrophic fire.

108
Q

King Tut’s tomb importance

A

one of the only ancient tombs to be found nearly intact

109
Q

why does Egypt preserve materials so well

A

the Arid conditions

110
Q

what was discovered in the 1950s on the Andes mountains

A

frozen bodies

111
Q

why did the Incas built ceremonial centers on the highest peaks

A

worshiping the snow-capped mountains

112
Q

The Incas believed that the mountains controlled ______________.

A

fertility of crops and animals by provided the water for irrigating fields

113
Q

the Inca offered to their gods (most notably)

A

human sacrifices

114
Q

Johan Reinhard

A

American archaeologist who carried out expeditions to the high peaks in the Andes

115
Q

what did Johan Reinhard find

A

best preserved ancient bodies ever found

116
Q

The Ampato Volcano of the Andes’ (6312 meters) yielded

A

Inca girl (Ice Maiden)

117
Q
A

Ice Maiden

118
Q

Ice maiden

A

girl ritually sacrificed at the age of 14.

119
Q

The peak of Llullaillaco in 1999 yielded

A

a seven year old boy and two girls

120
Q

what was amazing about bodies found in Andes’

A

so perfect preserved that a detailed analysis can be done on their internal organs, DNA and hair.

121
Q

Snow-Patched Archaeology importance

A

objects lost or discarded by human visitors are often well preserved

122
Q

Oldest known snow-patch artifact from Scandinavia

A

dated between 8000 and 4000 BCE

123
Q

Snow-Patched Archaeology near Oppdal Norway in 2010/2011

A

5 Neolithic arrows and a Neolithic bow

124
Q

Importance of the finds at Oppdal

A

insight into how Neolithic people joined stone arrowheads to wooden shafts

125
Q

Snow-Patched Archaeology in Norway

A

A well preserved tunic was found in 2011

126
Q

what is the concern about Norway

A

ancient ice melting will soon be gone, and all these finds with it.

127
Q

what do the repeated snow-patched archaeology finds show

A

rising temps and changing climates taking place in these climates.

128
Q

the iceman

A

a body which was found in the Alps; this body turned out to be about 5,300 years old

129
Q

when was the iceman found

A

1991

130
Q

The Iceman importance

A

1st prehistoric human every found with it’s everyday clothing and equipment, going about his everyday life

131
Q

what caused iceman death

A

He probably died from a blow to the head either from being struck or falling.

132
Q

What Did the Iceman’s teeth show

A

lived within 60 km of where he died

133
Q

How was the Iceman preserved

A

the body was in a depression, it was protected from the movement of the glacier above

134
Q

how was iceman found

A

a layer of dust from a storm fell on the ice and it absorbed sunlight that thawed the ice

Archaeology 1000 (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions