Examining Sources Chapter 3 Lesson 2
Why do archaeologists study archaeological records?
To learn
how people of the past lived, what they ate, what diseases they had
and how they died.
How do they excavate an archaeological site?
They remove the
earth a layer at a time, divide the site's surface into squares with grids,
and record the exact location of every item they discover
What is cultural dating?
The process of determining how old an
object is by comparing it with information already known
What kinds of artifacts do archaeologists use cultural
dating?
Artifacts made of nonliving materials such as coins and
pottery
What is scientific dating?
The process of dating objects by
analyzing them in a laboratory using techniques as
dendrochronology (matching the pattern in a wooden object to a
master tree-ring pattern) or radiocarbon dating, which entails
measuring the radioactive carbon in an object.
What kinds of artifacts do archaeologists use scientific
dating?
Once living things, such as wood or bones
Why do archaeologists sometimes disagree about how to interpret
archaeological evidence?
Because people tend to interpret past
events in light of their own experiences and because new information
can change a belief or a reasoned judgment.