Around the World Questions
1. What do we call the study of prehistoric people and their cultures?
- Archaeology
2. Which is stronger, bronze or iron?
- Iron
3. What are strata?
- They are layers in the rock. Each layer is from a different time period. They might be a
different colors or textures than the other layers.
4. What was so creepy about House 7 at Skara Brae?
- There were two bodies buried under the floor of House 7 at Skara Brae.
5. How did the earliest people get food?
- The earliest people hunted animals and gathered wild plants for food.
6. What were the three prehistoric ages, in order?
- Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age
7. Name one tool that archaeologists use to excavate?
- A trowel, a brush
8. How can we know how old an artifact is?
- We can see which strata it is buried in. We can use carbon dating.
9. Why did Otzi the Iceman have tattoos?
- He had tattoos for medical reasons. They were early acupuncture to ease his joint pain.
10. How did people communicate their stories 30, 000 years ago?
- They told their stories using cave paintings or pictograms.
11. What does domestic mean?
- Domestic means raised or grown by humans. It is the opposite of wild.
12. What were the first human tools made of?
- They were made of stone.
13. What is a cup from the Bronze Age an example of?
- It’s an artifact.
14. What is another word for farming?
- Agriculture
15. When would nomads decide to move to a new place?
- Nomads might move when food ran out in an area. They might also move when the seasons
or weather changed.
16. What are the Bangudae petroglyphs in Ulsan?
- They are cave paintings. They were the first cave paintings to show people whaling.
17. What were the three Stone Age periods, in order?
- Paleolithic Period, Mesolithic Period, Neolithic Period
18. What do archaeologists do after they make a grid?
- They excavate, take field notes, make theories, restore artifacts, and do carbon dating.
19. Which Prehistoric Age lasted for over 99% of human history?
- The Stone Age
20. What is an archaeologist?
- An archeologist studies archaeology, people from the past and their cultures.
21. What do we call it when people work together to do different jobs in a community?
- Society
22. Why was the plough so important?
- It made farming much easier. People could grow bigger crops, so some people could get new
jobs.
23. When were the most advanced Stone Age tools made?
- In the Neolithic period.
24. When did people start to raise domestic animals?
- They started to raise domestic animals in the Mesolithic Period.
25. What is pigment?
- It is colored powder, which can be mixed with grease to make paint.
26. Why was the hearth important at Skara Brae?
- The hearth was the center of entertainment in the homes. It was also used to cook, to heat
the home, and to provide light at nighttime.
27. How is prehistory different from history?
- There was no written language during prehistory, but there was during history.
28. Why was iron such an important discovery?
- It was the strongest metal at that time. It could be used to make better tools and weapons.
29. What is special about the Lascaux Caves in France?
- They have some of the earliest cave paintings.
30. What is Otzi the Iceman?
- Otzi the Iceman is a wet mummy.
31. What do we call an amount of time known for a special event or characteristic?
- A period
32. Which is stronger, iron or steel?
- Steel
33. What are field notes?
- They are notes taken by archaeologists with information about and drawings of artifacts and
theories.
34. How do you make bronze?
- Bronze is made by mixing copper and tin.
35. What does it mean to make a theory?
- It means to take a guess or have an idea about something.
36. What type of people lived in the Paleolithic Period?
- The people in the Paleolithic Period were nomads and hunter-gatherers.
37. What does a blacksmith do?
- Blacksmiths melt metals and turn them into tools and weapons.
38. Which grain did Iron Age people use to make flour for bread?
- They used wheat to make flour for bread.
39. What are pictograms?
- Pictograms are pictures used to communicate ideas instead of words.
40. What is a word for a small shovel used by archaeologists?
- A trowel
41. What do we call it when people are divided based on wealth or power?
- Social Stratification
42. How did Otzi the Iceman die?
- He was shot in the back with an arrow. He was probably murdered.
43. Why do archaeologists restore artifacts?
- They restore artifacts to discover their original shape and to show what they looked like when
they were new.
44. During which Stone Age period did humans begin to grow domestic crops?
- The Neolithic Period
45. How does carbon dating work?
- Carbon dating is when archaeologists discover how much carbon remains in an artifact. The
amount of carbon shows how old the object is.
46. What metal did Koreans use to make mirrors in prehistory?
- Koreans used bronze to make mirrors.
47. What was the most common theme for cave paintings?
- Animals and hunting were the most common themes for cave paintings.
48. Which type of rock was used in the Stone Age to make sharp points?
- Flint was used.
49. How was Otzi the Iceman mummified?
- Otzi was mummified naturally by the ice and snow that covered his body.
50. Why was farming such an important development?
- Farming allowed people to stop hunting and gathering. It led to permanent homes, instead of
nomadic lifestyles. It allowed societies to develop, because there was extra food available.