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CLST 129 > TEST 2 > Flashcards

TEST 2 Flashcards

(53 cards)

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1
Q

Name the five (destructive and non-destructive) methods of Archaeology.

A
  • surface survey
  • geophysical survey
  • remote sensing from high altitude
  • stratigraphical excavation
  • core sampling
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2
Q

What are 3 ways in which archaeological sites are found?

A
  • By accident-mostly non-archaeologists
  • strategic study of land and grounds
  • never lost, always known
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3
Q

What is a reconnaissance survey?

A

Study of the area to discover archaeological site and to acquire a preliminary understanding of the history

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4
Q

Why would you use a survey?

A
  • to understand the settlement history
  • conservation and management of site, discover as many as possible before they are destroyed
  • locate promising site for archaeology
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5
Q

What are the pros of a survey?

A
  • quick and you can cover a large area in relatively short amount of time
  • not a biased picture
  • quality and quantity can vary depending on multiple factors
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6
Q

What are the pros of an excavation? Cons?

A
  • gives the best possible quality of data
  • time consuming, destructive
  • expensive
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7
Q

How do you choose a survey area? (Limits)

A

Natural, cultural,arbitrarily

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8
Q

List the typologies of a surface survey. Explain

A

-Unsystematic: walking across area with no predetermined path
-Systematic: walking across area with predetermined path
-sampling: precise and specific area
-random: different portions of area are sampled
-stratified random:area is divided into smaller areas with common features
-systematic: regularly spaced and arranged
stratified unaligned systematic: combination of methods

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9
Q

What is a cadastral map?

A

It is a map of property, so it has the boundaries, altitude numbers and who owns it.

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10
Q

What can you find prior to a survey?

A

scatters or artifacts, ancient structures and their remains

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11
Q

What are some of the procedures of a survey?

A

Walking in parallel lines across all together

  • walkers pick up artifacts found in their area
  • try and move all at the same time
  • finds are recorded as well features are outlined on a map
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12
Q

When would you have high visibility? Low?

A

High: after rainfall or recently slowed field.
Low: long draught period

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13
Q

What do surface finds often reveal?

A

They reveal not only the latest phase of occupation but, as well earlier phases.
*it is always best to excavate area

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14
Q

What is aerial reconnaissance? What is it good for?

A 
use of photos from an overhead view
oblique photography 
better for pictorial effect and perspective 
better for making maps and plans 
vertical photography
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15
Q

List the different types of visibility and when the best time of day is to see them.

A

Shadow marks: early in the morning or late at night
Soil Marks:when the surface is exposed, minimal vegetation, right after it has been ploughed
Crop marks: during periods of draught, in specific cases early in the morning or late at night

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16
Q

Photo Interpretation and Mapping

A

analysis of series of photographs taken over a period of time. Comparison between the visible marks, ground reconnaissance and available records

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17
Q

What is LIDAR

A

Laser scanner that can be used

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18
Q

What is satellite photography used for?

A
  • large scale investigations, in areas that are difficult to access
  • locates natural and artificial features
  • use of colour to depict different features of site
  • monitor human activity and its impact
  • document illegal activity taking place
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19
Q

Geographical Information Systems: 3

A

Drainage
human activity
landscape

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20
Q

When is GIS used?

A

where actual survey is very large and not possible, too time consuming and expensive
-known sites are analyzed for criteria that is constant, this is then used to see if other unknown ancient sites are in the area

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21
Q

Subsurface detection tools? 7

A 
Probes
Shovel-Pits
core samples
Optical Probes
Ground based remote sensing GPR
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22
Q

Magnetic Survey

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A

based on the measurement of small local variations of magnetic field caused by the different content of iron of structure and artifacts and surrounding soil.
strong response from pottery and fired call (pottery kilns,hearths) because of their acquired magnetic identity
metal objects cause an even stronger anomaly -point towards magnetic pole
Geomagnetic survey:fluxgate gradiometer at work (image)
no depth can be established

23
Q

Briefly explain GPR

Study These Flashcards
A

a wave signal (pulses)is sent and when it comes back (it’s bounced off an object) the approximate distance can be measured.

24
Q

Electrical Resistivity

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A

-measures the resistance of soil
-sends electrical current into soil
-Built structures: more dense as their si no space/air gap
-Filled spaces (trenches, pits) are less dense
`

25
Is it ideal to use Electrical Resistivity, GPR and a Magnetic survey?
YES
26
Law of superposition?
The layer of strata formed will be younger than the one below it and the older than the layer above it.
27
Law of Horizontality
Strata underwater will form a horizontal line
28
Law of Original Continuity
each deposit was originally without exposed edges, therefore surfaces with exposed edges are the result of erosion or dislocation
29
What are all stratigraphies a result of?
erosion or deposition
30
What is the difference between archaeological and geological stratigraphy?
Geological: produced by natural forces and often filled with rock Archaeological: produced by human activity and contain loose objects
31
What produces layers? Interfaces?
Layers: erosion Interfaces: deposition
32
What is the stratification of layers and interfaces called?
Stratigraphic Units
33
How are stratigraphic units produced?
destruction/transportation — negative stratigraphic units—construction/addition—-positive stratigraphic units natural :erosion artificial: excavation
34
What is the orientation of inclusion? Position of Inclusion?
Orientation: the direction has changed, not the colour or texture Position: no visible different other than the surface that used to exist
35
What is a negative interface?
interfaces only, they are a separate entity from stratigraphy it is also the only one that matters in archaeology
36
What are the four possible physical relationships between stratigraphic units?
Cuts/it is cut covers/it is covered fills/it is filled lays against/abuts
37
What is the Harris Matrix?
way to simplify the picture of a site as numerous SU can make it difficult to understand. The principle concept is that the only important relationship is the one between the earliest to the later units and latest of the earliest units. *a family tree like structure is used.
38
Can you excavate stratigraphic units arbitrarily?
No you cannot as you assume that all the layers are like a cake (horizontal and flat) digging by arbitrary levels is not a stratigraphic method. Layers are not removed in reverse order of formation and following their limits. Soil is removed by horizontal level of pre-defined depth, and each level will contain materials from many layers in some cases arbitrary level can be combined with the stratigraphic method. in cases of very thick layers they can be removed by horizontal levels in order to have better records of the distribution of the material was closer to the surface and what was closer to the bottom. However, the horizontal level will never cut through the interfaces
39
Is it possible to separate individual artifacts from a group?
No because, the artifacts are a reflection of society and to try and separate them from the group as a whole would be nearly impossible/
40
What are the two types of dating? Explain
Absolute: placing events and materials into one of the general systems to measure time. Relative: placing events or materials into sequence to determine if they come before or after others. *for the most part you can only sue absolute dating if it can be related back to a historical tradition (Egypt, near East)
41
Who wrongly calculated the dating of Jesus Christ?
Dionysius the Little
42
What are the standard conventions used for dating?
BC, BCE, AD. | *No year zero exists
43
What does radiocarbon dating use?
Before Present
44
What is a limit of absolute dating?
for all anicent periods there is always a degree of approximation to the era.
45
Briefly describe how to read an archaeological stratification.
Start at the top identify the latest stratigraphic unit among those visible on the surface when units have a physical relationships you can tell which until is earlier and which is the latest If the unit has a physical relationship with more than one other unit, the relationship of those units between themselves will tell you which is earlier and which is later.
46
What are residual finds?
Finds that are found in excess but, do not date to that particular layer.
47
What helps to establish a sequence?
Association and stratigraphy
48
What is seriation?
comparing assemblages of objects
49
What are issues with seriation?
it assumes that the popularity of the types was the same in all contexts considered, with no local variations it assumes that all contexts considered belong to the same culture and are of the same nature it assumes that the curve is always regular, without sudden revivals and similar it assumes that the types have been correctly identified
50
What are the three environmental sequences?
Ice Core Deep Sea Pollen
51
What are the two ancient calendars used?
Mayan and Egyptian
52
What means date after which? Before?
Terminus post quem. Terminus
53
What are the two types of annual dating?
Tree Rings and Varves

CLST 129 (1 decks)

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