Archaeology: a Method of Studying History
Newman, Garfield. Echoes from the Past: World History to the 16th Century. Toronto:
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 2001.(p. 6-12)
1. What is archaeology and what is its purpose in studying history?
2. Outline the members and roles in a ‘dig team”?
3. What factors are taken into consideration when performing a dig? Explain.
4. Why is graph paper essential in a dig?
5. What two categories are artifacts broken down into?
6. Give examples of conclusions that can be drawn from artifacts such as wood,
human remains, diseases, stone tools and pottery.
7. How can “mental baggage” impact the analysis of historical research?
Digging up the Dirt on Toronto….
Posner, Michael. "Digging up the Dirt on Toronto's Obsession with Money and Power."
Globe and Mail 21 Mar. 1999.
1. From your initial reading, is the article a fair assessment of “Toronto” society or
civilization? Explain your answer.
2. a) List or outline FOUR pieces of “evidence” that the archaeologists from Moon
Selene University found from the “lost city of Toronto on Earth”.
b) To what do buildings / statues etc. do some of these “evidence” refer?
3. What conclusions about Toronto do the archaeologists draw from the above
“evidence”? Answer by recreating and completing the chart below:
Element
Conclusions drawn about civilization of “Toronto”
Economy
Sports
Religion
Science and
technology
Environment
Society
other
4. a) From the above conclusions, which do you feel is most TRUE? Explain your
answer.
b) From the above conclusions, which do you feel is most UNTRUE? Explain
your answer.
5. Do you agree with Dr. Sanchez’s last statement? Why or why not?
Archaeology Questions
Article #1: For Sheba
Lemonick, Michael D., and Andrea Dorfman. "For Sheba." Time 10 Sep. 2001.
1. Who was “Sheba”?
2. What new archaeological evidence supports the true existence of Sheba?
3. Describe the historical conclusions that have been made from the excavations at
Mahram Bilqis.
4. What conclusions can be drawn about the important aspects (political, social, cultural,
religious, art) of this civilization?
5. Why is the field of archaeology so important in understanding history?
Article #2: Life B.C: Introduction
1. Explain how archaeologists date artifacts using:
a) layers
b) scientific dating
c) comparing layers
Article #3: The Caves Where Culture Began
McKie, Robin. "The Caves Where Culture Began." Toronto Star 5 Feb. 1995.
1. Describe the ritual of the “Gallery of the Beasts”. What was its purpose?
2. What impact do the paintings at Vallon-Pont d’Arc have on archeological records?
3. a) Who were the Cro-Magnons?
b) Describe FIVE aspects of the living conditions or society of Cro-Magnons found in
archaeological evidence.
4. What is interesting about Cro-Magnon’s use of pottery?
5. According to the article, why was art “critical to the business of survival”?
6. In your own opinion, was the emergence of art and culture a factor of the
“geographical explosion”? Justify your response.