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Archaeology 101 > Key Terms/Concepts > Flashcards

Key Terms/Concepts Flashcards

(91 cards)

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1
Q

ALS (airborne laser scanning)

A

LIDAR light detection and ranging remote sensing technique using same principle as radar to determine the range to the target

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2
Q

Anthropology

A

Study of humanity

3 subsections: biological, cultural, and archaeology

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3
Q

Archaeological culture

A

Constantly recurring assemblage of artifacts assumed to be representative of a particular set of behavioral activities carried out at a particular time and place

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4
Q

Archaeology

A

Sub discipline of anthropology involving the study of the human past through its material remains

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5
Q

Artifact

A

Any portable object used modified or made by humans

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6
Q

Attribute

A

Minimal characteristic of an artifact such that is cannot be further subdivided
Includes: aspects of form, style, decoration, color, and raw material

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7
Q

Characterization

A

Application of techniques of examination by which characteristic properties of the constituent material of traded goods can be identified and thus their source of origin

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8
Q

Classification

A

The ordering findings into groups on the basis of shared attributes

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9
Q

Cognitive archaeology

A

The study of let ways of though and symbolic structures from material remains

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10
Q

Cognitive processual approach

A

Alternative to materialistic orientation of be functional processual approach
Concerned with the integration of the cognitive and symbolic with other aspects of early societies and the role of ideology as an active organizational force

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11
Q

Context

A

Artifacts context usually consisted of its immediate matrix, provenience and association with other artifacts

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12
Q

Contract archaeology

A

Archaeological research conducted under terms of a contract

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13
Q

Critical theory

A

Theoretical approach developed by “Frankfurt school” of German social thinkers that stresses that all knowledge is historical and in a sense biased communication thus al claims to objective knowledge

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14
Q

Cultural anthropology

A

Study of human culture and society

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15
Q

Cultural resource management

A

Safeguarding archaeological heritage through the protection of sites and through salvage archaeology

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16
Q

Culture

A

Non biological characteristics to specific society

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17
Q

Dendrochronology

A

Study of tree ring patterns to develop timeline, and determine environmental changes in the past

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18
Q

Aerial Survey

A

Employing atrial and satellite imagery used in the discovery and recording of archaeological sites

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19
Q

The stratified random sample

A

Divide strata into separate areas

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19
Q

Site vs. findspot

A

Site: artifact densities indicate activity areas and function of the site
Findspot: scatters of artifacts usually found by surface survey

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20
Q

Total station

A

Survey instrument that measures and records in 3 dimensions

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21
Q

Inorganic preservation

A

Pottery survives well

Fire cooked clay

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22
Q

Ethnoarchaeology

A

Study of contemporary cultures with a view to understanding behavioral relationships that underline material culture

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23
Q

Experimental archaeology

A

The study of past behavioral processes through experimental reconstruction under controlled scientific conditions

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24
Taphonomy
The study of processes (burial, decay, preservation) affection animal or plant remains
25
Primary context
The original place/site of an artifact, ecofact, or feature | Ex bones in a grave
26
Secondary context
The movement of artifact or ecofact from its original position Ex moving bones from one grave to another
27
Immediate matrix
Material that surrounds object
28
Provenience
Vertical and horizontal relation of something
29
Associations
What else was found with the object? Something found within the same level Ex Axe and shield both found in Bronze Age level
30
Archaeological context
Place where object is found, how it was found, what material (ex soil) surrounds it, the layer it came from,
31
Site
Place an artifact ecofact structure feature or organic & inorganic remains are found together Places showing traces of past human activity
32
Ecofact
Organic and environmental remains | Ex human skeleton or plant Residue
33
Features
Human modified aspects of the site or landscape that provides evidence of structures, activities or interaction with the landscape
34
Archaeological record
Any evidence of past human activity preserved in the earth through culture and natural process
35
Anaerobic environment
Lacking air and moisture
36
Pyroclastic flows
Avalanches of hot ash, pumice, and rock fragment | I.e. Volcanic eruption flows
37
Pompeii
``` Roman city destroyed by mount Vesuvius around 79 AD Spans roughly 163 acres Was home to roughly 20,000 ppl Was trading town Famous for fish sauce and grand villas ```
38
Post processual archaeology
Explanation formulated in reaction to the 'limitations' of functional-processual archaeology
39
The ecological approach
Concerned with interactions between environment, biology, and culture
40
New archaeology
More scientific approach to archaeological methods and theory with tested hypotheses
41
Cultural historical method
Material culture defines groups and builds timelines
42
Natural selection
Darwinian theory for evolution
43
Uniformitarianism
Principle that stratification if rocks is due to processes still going on today I.e. Ancient geological conditions are similar to today's
44
Prehistory
Period before the written record
45
Biblical archaeology
Work with reference to the events set out in the bible | Ex Noah's ark
46
Classics archaeology
Interest in the societies of Ancient Greece and Rome and neighboring territories
47
Linguistic archaeology
Study of how speech varies with social factors and over time
48
Physical anthropology
Aka biological anthropology Study of human biological or physical characteristics and how they evolved Ex skeleton
49
Classical archaeologist
Study Greek and Roman civilization
50
Historical archaeologist
Study medieval or historic towns, events, etc
51
Pre historians
Study prehistoric settlements
52
Paleoanthropology
Study of earliest human cultures | Ex cave men
53
Bio archaeologist
Study skeletons of people and animals
54
Material remains
Artifacts that remain of a group of people
55
Electrolysis
Standard cleaning process in archaeology | Object is played in chemical solution and has weak current ran through it. Debris fall off and object is clean
56
Evolution
Process of growth and development generally accompanied by increasing complexity I.e. Bigger brains
57
Evolutionary archaeology
Darwinian evolutionary concepts applied to the archaeological record
58
Excavation
Uncovering archaeological remains through the removal of deposits of soil or materials covering and a accompanying them
59
Feature
A non-portable 'artifact' | Ex architectural element
60
Formation process
Processes affecting the way artifacts were buried and their following history
61
GIS
Geographic information systems | Software for the overall conservation, organization, and analysis of the archaeological record
62
Landscape archaeology
Study of individual features over a wider area once filled with human activity
63
Marxist archaeology
Based principally on the writings of Karl Marx. A materialistic model of societal change
64
Material culture
Buildings, tools etc | Artifacts that constitute the material remains of former societies
65
Mesolithic
Period beginning around 10,000 years ago. Between Paleolithic and Neolithic
66
Neolithic
Characterized by the settling of people to one area and beginning of farming
67
Neolithic revolution
Origin and consequences of farming and settled village life
68
Off site data
Evidence from a range of information including scatters of such artifacts and features as plow marks and boundaries that provide important evidence about human exploration of the environment
69
Open area excavation
I.e. Digging Opening up large horizontal areas for excavation Usually used with single period deposits
70
Paleolithic
Period before 10,000 Characterized by the earliest known tool making Aka Stone Age
71
Post processual explanation
Explanation formulated in reaction to the perceived limitations of functional-processual archaeology
72
Processual archaeology
Approach that stresses the dynamic relationship between social and economic aspects of culture and the environment as basis for understanding the process of culture change
73
Pseudo archaeology
Use of selective archaeological evidence to make fake history
74
Radiocarbon dating
Absolute dating method that measures decay of the radioactive isotope carbon in organic material
75
Reconnaissance survey
Recording of surface artifacts and features by walking in a strategic format and picking up things in the immediate area
76
Research design
Systematic planning of archaeological research
77
Salvage archaeology
Aka rescue archaeology | Location and recording usually through excavation of archaeological sites in advance of construction
78
Site
Distinct spatial clustering of artifacts features organic and environmental remains and structures The residue of human activity
79
Soil resistivity
Soil changes when things decay. Aka earth resistance survey Method of subset face detection that measures changes in conductivity by passing electrical current through soils. Buried features can be detected by ground water retention
80
Stela
Plural is stelae | Free standing carved stone monument
81
Stratification
Layers one above the other | Aka timeline using things buried on top of eachother
82
Structuralist approach
Interpretations that stress that human actions are guided by beliefs and symbolic concepts
83
Style
Any distinctive and recognizable way in which an act is performed and made
84
Surface survey
Systematic -straight lines | Unsystematic- not straight lines
85
Taphonomy
Study processes that have affected organic materials such as bone after death
86
Three age system
System for sequence of time periods Stone Age Bronze Age and Iron Age
87
Type
Class of artifacts defined by the consistent clustering of attributes
88
Typology
Systematic organization of artifacts into types on the basis of shared attributes
89
Underwater reconnaissance
Geographical methods of underwater survey
90
Wheeler box grid
Excavation technique developed by Mortimer Wheeler involving excavation grid squares

Archaeology 101 (2 decks)

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