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Test 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Pseudo-archaeology

A

the idea that myth, casual, observation or opinion NOT SUPPORTED by evidence is equally valid as dedicated evidence based understanding of the past

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2
Q

public and archaeology

A

public is interest in the past
pop shows do a poor job of depicting real discovery

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3
Q

archaeology

A

The scientific and systematic study of human groups and their culture through material remains
-deal with only part of cultures materials
only see what survives long-tern burial (unless preserved)

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4
Q

artifact

A

any portable object that is made, modified or used by human beings (non portable are hearts, post holes, etc)

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5
Q

ecofact

A

non-artifactual organic and environmental remains which have cultural relevance (soils, plants, fauna (animals), residues, chemical remains)

CARBONIZATION AIDS PRESERVATION

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6
Q

Archaeological Sites

A

A distinct spatial clustering
of artifacts, features,
structures, and organic and
environmental remains
-min requirement in AR is 3 artifcats

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7
Q

taphonomy

A

study of site formation
cultural (humans)
natural (change or preservation, roots, rodents, insects (bioturbation), soil)

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8
Q

matrix

A

the material
surrounding an archaeological
find

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9
Q

provenience

A

the position of
the material within a matrix

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10
Q

association

A

its spatial and
temporal relationship with
other finds

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11
Q

law of superposition

A

lower soil layers always deposited first

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12
Q

Exception of law of superposition

A

reversed stratigraphy

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13
Q

Good preservation

A

extremely wet (castilla elastica in aztec lands)
extremely cold (Otzi, Italian Alps)

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14
Q

older known murder victim

A

otzi, arrow embedded in left shoulder

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15
Q

skeletal morphology

A

habitual bipedalism: spine, pelvis, foot, cranial attachment
manual dexterity
cranial capacity
thicker enamel

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16
Q

Laetoli, Tanzania

A

2-3 bipedial hominin
volcanic ash dates to 3.5 mya

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17
Q

Indirect evidence of evolution

A

technology: tool use, fire, clothing, modification of environment
culture: social groups, lang, art, abstract

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18
Q

stone should have these qualities

A

homogeneity
elasticity
isotropic ( no cleavage planes)
highly siliceous

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19
Q

fracture mechanics

A

conchodial fracture when struck
waves of force travel out

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20
Q

hertzian cone

A

Heinrich Rudolf Hertz documented the cone shaped fracture patterns in
fine grained materials

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21
Q

Lomekwi

A

OLDEST, Australopithecine ca. 3.3 mya

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22
Q

Oldowan

A

2nd oldest ,ca. 2.6-1 mya (homo habilis) hard hammer, cobble and flake tools

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23
Q

Achuelan

A

3rd oldest ca. 1-.3 mya, homo errectus, soft hammer
1 mill years ago, bifacial tools

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24
Q

mousterian

A

4th oldest, levallois technique, ca. 200-35 kybp, homo neanderthalensis and sapiens, soft hammer, evidence of hafting

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25
upper palaeolithic to recent
homo sapiens, punch and hammer, pressure flaking, more efficient,
26
what does flaking show about cognition
Planning * Anticipating need * developing cognition & localized mental-maps * Small home territories
27
tool making hands
precision grip, makes tool making and use possible
28
challenges of first homo habilis model
tools found in dried river bed kenya 3.3 mill years ago first tool was not homo Australopithecus Sediba has tool using hands The point of these recent challenges is that the species who first used stone tools is far from resolved
29
expensive tissue hypothesis
large brain takes a lot of energy comes at expense of energy elsewhere in human bio
30
levallois technique
conscious effort to conserve material, planning reduction sequence, shows cognitive abilities
31
lascaux cave france
Walls and ceilings covered by herds of animal paintings and hunt scenes -mostly herbivores (Bison, horse, deer, and cattle) -deep recesses of the cave have dangerous animals (lions, bears, and woolly rhinos)
32
remote sensing
identifying archaeological features w/o actually visiting the site
33
aerial photography
simplest form of remonte sensing
34
multispectral satellite imagery
every grid square contains multiple bands to rep diff wavelengths of the light spectrum
35
RGB color channels
computers, printers use this to display color
36
LiDAR
Light Detection and Ranging lase sends signal to the ground and return signal when it hits object light travels at constant rate millions of laser pulses
37
Watson Brake and Poverty Point
isolated sites (1st)
38
Adena
Ohio River Valley, Woodland Period
39
Hopewell
ORV (after adena), focused on burial, rapid expansion of trade, increasing status diff astronomy, calendrics
40
Mississippian culture
south E, after hopewell platfors for temples, rigid social class (divine rank)
41
Beg. of woodland culture
earliest mounds tend to be burials for important indiv. who ACHIEVE STATUS IN THEIR LIVES
42
Accretional construction
built stages over time to accomodate relatives of lineage
43
Ethnographic Example
* Mapuche, South America (Dillehay 1990) * Renewal ceremony when a new layer of earth is laid down over mounds * Opportunity for political action  Shamanic rituals  Leaders coordinating invitations and feasts  Alliance making * Community Building * Territorial claims
44
Neolithic Revolution
Domestication of Plants and Animals initiated global transition from mobile hunting-gathering to: 1. Shift to agriculture (food production) 2. Surplus and storage 3. Sedentary villages and towns 4. Changes in social organization a) Not just kin relations 5. Early development of social inequality
45
Environmental Changes
* Holocene warming and more stable * Melting glaciers = more running water world wide and CO2 * New climate = new and widespread habitats for plants * Extinction of Pleistocene animals * Global populations growing
46
Domestication of Plants
* Humans take over for other natural forces in selection * Adapted for human use * Genetic changes * More edible grains per stalk * Larger grains * Easier to process (husk or hull) * Needs humans to reproduce (codependence
47
why did humans shift to plants?
population pressure to develop CRITICISM: Humans aren’t just animals reacting to environmental conditions, humans take more active role social uses are overproduction leads to surplus for feasts and ceremonies CRITICISM: This was used as a critique of environmental determinism, but really went too far, can’t discount the environment
48
fertile crescent
Abundant wild grasses * Abundant flowing water, but source of water far off * Rivers and floodplains somewhat circumscribed
49
domestication of wheat
A Wild wheat B Easily detached seed of wild wheat C Brittle Rachis in wild wheat, easily detaches from stalk D Non-brittle rachis in domesticated wheat requires human intervention to break from stalk
50
neolithic A
Initial occupation 10,500-10,000 BC * Began as hunter-gatherers * Small round structures, wooden frames * Using wild wheat and rye * Thrive disturbed environments (brittle rachis!) * Makes availability predictable * Cold snap (younger Dryas) caused aridification and 500-year abandonmen
51
neolithic B
* Reoccupied ~9,500 BC * More substantial investment in housing * Sedentism * Still wild plant use at first * Gradually more domesticates * Sheep * Emmer * Rye * Wheat * Lentils * From wild use to domesticated = ~3000 years
52
tel in jericho
* A “tel” is a large mound built accretionally where one occupation is built atop the remains of a previous one
53
non residential struct in jericho
City walls (by 8000 BC) * Defensive? * Flood protection? * Original walls abandoned ~7200 BC
54
ancestor worship
* Burials below house floors * some headless * “skull retrieval” * Lineages (corporate group) * Collectively own wealth
55
burials of catalhoyuk
Communal burials * Skull reburials * Children with grave goods * Possibly indicating inherited status * Burials within houses not necessarily biologically related (Larson et al. 2005)
56
bad year economics
Fear of food shortfall drives human groups to produce more then they need * This results in a surplus of grain * Storage features or pits in the ground
57
jihua china
* Medicinal * More nutritious than bread! * Feasting * Recreational benefits
58
ritual feasting
Feasting = political action * Form social alliances * Create social debt * Advertising social similarities or differences * Also social and economic implications of preparing alcohol
59
chicha production
Chicha mass produced for feasts * Takes a lot of prep & labor * Challenge for elite to coordinate * Generalized Reciprocity * Giving a gift * Or Invitation to a feast * Vague notions of what should be given in return * Delay * “Competitive generosity” creates social debt! * The more debt you are owed, the more labor and wealth potential you command
60
hopewell mounds
Continued focus on burials * Rapid expansion of trade networks * Some evidence for intergroup-conflict, but relatively limite
61
mississippian periods
Mississippian = platforms for temples, elite residences * Difference indicates more rigid social classes  Institutionalized authority  Divine right to status, wealth, and rank
62
costly signaling
Idea that social difference is established and maintained by conspicuous consumption and ostentatious display  Wasteful from a practical view
63
dunning krueger
effect occurs when a person's lack of knowledge and skills in a certain area cause them to overestimate their own competence.
64
• In all of human history, what percentage of human groups have been agricultural based societies?
95%

Archaeology (1 decks)

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