Intro. to Archaeology
and
Anthropology
CHW-3M1
Some cartoons..
Intro to Archaeology
Examine the following slides. From the images
extrapolate as much information about the
artefact(s) just by looking at them superficially.
What else could you do to find out more about
these artefacts?
Find the Site
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walk around and look carefully
plowed fields (after rainstorms) have artifacts on the
surface
important to note the location of surface artifacts because
their distribution may be related to artifacts underneath
grid, carefully labeled collection bags
can reveal sites relative age, length of time it was
occupied (campsite, village, cemetery, or other type of
occupation)
subject to damage from erosion or looting
good timing – erosion – luck?
Survey the site
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record location relative to
landscape
surveying usually followed
by mapping – sketch maps
used limited in size and
little accuracy of
topography
proton magnetometer
reads magnetic materials in
the subsurface (iron, fired
clay, trenches, pits, tombs
etc) – show up as magnetic
a nomalies
help place archaeological
units where high chance of
features to be found
Excavation
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hesitant to disturb integrity of an in tact
archaeological site
all excavation requires destruction – only
small amount of information can be
recovered
grid drawn over the area using stakes
and cord
use drafting equipment to record grid
onto site map
take notes on every aspect of the
operation
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drawings, field diaries, forms, maps
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drawn and recorded before moving
Equipment
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shovels
towels
knives
dental picks (depending on level of care required)
Brushes of different sizes and textures
Tape measures, cords, and line levels
Screens made of wire mesh and wooden frames
used to sift through everything leaving the dig site
Stratigraphy
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relation of artifacts, buried features etc, to each layer
the sequence in which successive layers of soil were
built up over the archaeological deposit
age of item relative to materials higher or lower in the
ground
also illustrate geological processes that have affected
the site over time
can stretch over a few hundred or a few thousand
years
draw profiles of the walls of their excavations
Artefacts
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any object that was manufactures or altered by human
activity
transported from site to laboratory – analyzed using a
variety of techniques
stone, bone, fiber, wood, clay, metal and other
materials
Lithics – made of stone
Pottery – clay is very durable once it has been fired –
reveal technological and artistic developments
Precious artifacts – made of gold – an extremely rare
occurrence in archaeology – existence of these
treasures has led to the destruction of countless
archaeological sites
Examples of Archaelogical Digs
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http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=witOlhzl31Q
Famous “finds”
Studying
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of HUMANITY. There are
many subfields including, cultural, forensic, physical
and social anthropology.
.....the most fundamental question in the study of
anthropology is...who are the ancestors of
modern human beings?
Some basic terms and concepts to know in
this unit.
Hominid
Australopithecene
Natural Selection
Bi-pedalism
Relative and Absolute Dating
The Human Family Tree
Agricultural Revolution (Also known
as the Neolithic Revolution)