Arky 1000: Methodology Terms Flashcards

the theory that the processes that change the Earth's crust and surface over time remain uniform and continuous - James Hutton

CJ Thomsen - Stone, Bronze, Iron

Sir John Evans - Classification of items based on their shared features, placing them into chronological categories.

Theory of evolving societies; Savagery, Barbarism, Civilization

using the order in which things come on a time scale to make an analysis - rock layers, written records, etc - Heinrich Schliemann

Arranges artifacts into chronological orders based on changes in their styles and abundance from across time. - Sir Williams Flinders Petrie

interprets the past by tracing links between cultures and documented historical periods and assuming they are related.

A period of exponential growth in agricultural methods and technology that increased the yields and efficiency of crops allowing for populations to thrive

focuses on the complex relationship between societies of the past and their environments

studies cultural activities and cultural changes due to the environment and changes in the environment - Julian Steward

analysis of the constant rate of decay of radiocarbon atoms in an organic sample to identify how much has decayed since the organism died.

Provision of explanations rather than details and the culmination of testable theories, frequently questioning and scrutinizing ideas to make them as accurate as possible to the truth

Objects that are made, modified, or used; transportable

Biological remains associated with subsistence / the natural environment; organic remains

Modified aspect of the site that is not transportable and has no added material; like a hole or tree stump

Constructed elements of the site that are not transportable; has added materials

Any spots that humans have been, past or present

Area with several occupation sites, often linked by some cultural association

some kind of formation or feature that can identify that humans have been there

Relationships between the matrix surrounding the cultural remains and the remains themselves

Sediments and Soils

context that describes an undisturbed artifact, feature, or site

Context that describes the disturbance of an artifact, feature, or site since its creation

The 3D location of the archaeology remains (Horizontal and Vertical)

Relationship between the cultural and natural aspects of the site

Changes in artifacts, features, or sites caused by primary or secondary human activity

Changes in Artifacts, features, or sites caused by exposure to the elements

Anaerobic conditions are not ideal for bacterial growth and decomposition, allowing from things to be preserved for much longer

Lack of liquid water and low temperature is not ideal for bacterial growth and decomposition, allowing things to be preserved for longer

Lack of water is not ideal for bacterial growth and decomposition, allowing for things to preserved for longer

Hypothesis and Formulation of a research strategy around a discovery

Consultation of documentary sources and locals, then creating a survey plan based off this data

the excavation of a site that is under threat of being lost and destroyed

choosing survey samples based on criteria

Choosing Survey samples by a selective pattern

combines results of neighboring sites or regions

aims for the comprehensive coverage of a site or area

Data attained from elevated analysis of the surface (satellites, planes, etc)

Excavates every other square space in a checkerboard pattern

use of baulks between squares, often used for sites with structures

creation of a vertical section where needed for revealing a structure or feature. used in situ with Wheeler box or Checkerboard

Required for particularly deep sites for safety reasons; used in situ with Wheeler box or Checkerboard

a grouping of the Archaeological remains belonging to the same occupation phase / activity

dating of an artifact or occupation phase in relation to another; either older or younger

Chronometric aging of an artifact or matrix

AD (CE) 1

CE 622

776 BCE

3114 BCE

year one begins with each pharaoh

before christ

Anno Domini (in the year of the lord)

common era

before common era

Before present, 1950

sediments accumulate into layers over time; a deeper layer is older than a nearer one

numbering of artifacts placing them into chronological order

Seriation based on the duration of appearances of an object and changes in appearances of an object

Traces the abundance changes of a feature or object through time, creates a battleship curve when graphed

tracing of the changes of vocabulary in written records over time

use of statistical data to date the divergence of languages from the their parent languages, defined in years

Analysis of Deep sea and ice core samples to detect change in the climate over time

a graph that shows the changes in climate over thousands of years

use of preserved pollen spores to create a dateable pollen zone sequence, or pollen profile. can range drastically by region.

Tracing of the presence or absence of animals in regions, and the evolution of these animals

A system linked to a 'year' that follows a regularly repeating timeable process

A calendar that cannot be linked to another calendar that is not floating

"In place" describes an undisturbed artifact, site, or feature.

"Date After-which"

"Date before which"

using tree growth rings in connection with a master sequence and other such factors to deduce a date

analysis of the constant radioactive decay of elements in a sample to discern an accurate date

Sub atomic particles interact with a particle in the upper atmosphere producing a high energy neutron. The neutron reacts with an N-14 molecule to produce a C-14 molecule, which reacts with oxygen to produce an isotopic molecule of carbon dioxide which are ultimately ingested by animals through plants that utilized the radiocarbon dioxide molecule.

5730yrs (then releasing a beta particle)

A machine accelerates ions of the sample to extremely high kinetic energies before mass analysis for dating small samples

Radioactive potassium is created when igneous material is formed. there is no argon gas at that point because the formation heat drives all of it off. Potassium decays to Argon gas by a half life of 1.25 billion years

used for dating volcanic eruptions and deposits of ash and igneous rock, Argon-39 decays into Argon-40 by a half life of 269 years

The decay of Radioactive uranium-238 down into lead-82, through protactinium-231 or Thorium-230

the absorption of radiation into the voids of silt and sand grains after they have been exposed to light

the absorption of radiation into the voids of clay after it has been heated to over 500 degrees celsius

the absorption of water into obsidian creating hydration rings in the rock

Studies the relationships between groups of people; how the are organized internally and externally.

an organized society

number of small sites vs. large sites connected within the settlement pattern

groupings of similar sites in a region

Band, Segmentary, Chiefdom, State

Small site, >1000 pop, Hunter / gathering nature. (before 10,000 BP all sites were bands.)

Larger than Bands, ~1000 pop, Horticulturalistic, Agriculturalistic, Pastoralistic nature. Egalitarian. Relied on domestication (no site dominance)

A dispersed Segmentary society

A nucleated or agglomerated Segmentary society

The belief that rank is achieved through life achievements and not through birthright

Varying site size, 5000-20,000 pop, people of power, reliance on domestication, prestige of lineage

Varying Site size, 20,000 to millions pop, political center, leader and laws, separation of religion and ruling, economic specializations, social classes,

a community of living organisms that live and interact with a specific environment

A distinct geographic area with specific groups of organisms living together

where two ecozones overlap; an area of transition

A past environmental system

A past climate system

Changes in weather and environment over time; long term

Similarities in cultures in a given environment and their connections to the nature of that environment

Cultural and societal interactions between human and non-human communities

small plants remains like phytoliths, spores, or charcoal

Pollen from trees and shrubs

pollen from herbs and grasses

Larger plant remains like seeds, fruit, and wood

Smaller animal remains like rodent, bat, and insectivore remains.

study of the remains of worms and insects to create connections with micro-climates

Larger animal remains like rabbits, bears, or large fish

Koobi Fora, Kenya (1.7 mya) or Zhoukoudian, China (500,000 BP)

total area from which the site's contents have been derived

the area around a site that would be exploited by the sites inhabitants for dietary needs and immediate needs

the number and density of individuals that land can support

the study of animals of the past through evidence left behind by them

the study of humans of the past through what they left behind

any evidence that something was consumed

carnivore mark

butcher mark

Number of identified Specimens

Minimum Number of Individuals

The analysis of the process of fossilization

approx. 25-30% of live weight

Vitamin D Defiency

Vitamin C deficiency

Healed trauma at the time of death

Unhealed trauma at the time of death

Desiccative trauma after death

Homo Habilis (2.5-1.7mya, East Africa)

Homo Ergaster (1.8-0.6mya, Africa)

Homo Erectus (1.8mya-27ka, Africa, far east Indonesia)

Homo Heidelbergensis (500-200ka, Africa, Europe)

Homo Neanderthalensis (200-28ka, Europe)

Homo Sapiens (500ka, everywhere)

Australo Anamensis (~4.4mya, East Africa)

Australo Afarensis (~3.5mya, East Africa)

Austral Africanus (~2.8mya, South Africa)

Paran Aethiopicus (2.7-2.3mya, East Africa)

Paran Boisei (2.3-0.7mya, East Africa)

Paran Robustus (1.8-1mya, South Africa)

Two-legged

Four-legged

to do with the head (skull)

excluding the skull

A hole in the bottom of the skull where the brain connects to the spine

Thigh bone connecting to the Pelvis

Larger shin bone connecting to the femur

Smaller Shin bone located to the side of the Tibia

the sides of the femur joint