Lecture Notes: Archaeology and Historical Archaeology (Pages 1-4)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Pages 1–4 of the notes on archaeology and historical archaeology.

Archaeology

The study of past human life through material remains such as artifacts, features, ecofacts, built environments, and related evidence.

Historical Archaeology

A branch focusing on the modern world and historical periods, often using written documents to complement material remains.

Antiquarianism

Early collecting practice by laypersons (often wealthy) that preceded systematic archaeological methods.

Pizzicolo (1421)

Historical figure noted for studying Roman ruins, illustrating early interest in antiquities.

Herculaneum and Pompeii (1700s)

Sites that spurred interest in historical archaeology and the study of ancient urban life.

Deetz

James Deetz, influential in 1960s historical archaeology; emphasized studying the modern world and critiquing Eurocentrism, advocating broader, interdisciplinary approaches.

Eurocentrism

A viewpoint in archaeology that centers European experience, often criticized for narrowing interpretation to Euro-American contexts.

Interdisciplinary method of material culture analysis

An approach combining artifacts, sites, documents, and ethnographies to interpret past societies.

Text-aided archaeology

Archaeology augmented by written records and textual evidence to interpret material remains.

Historical vs Anthropological Archaeology

A debate about labeling; some scholars prefer anthropological archaeology over historic archaeology, aiming for broader theory and cross-cultural comparison.

Multiscalar (multiscalar analysis)

Analyzing global processes and local contexts across multiple scales (place, people, things) to understand networks and social structures.

Haunts (colonialism, capitalism, eurocentrism)

Factors that shape and sometimes distort archaeological interpretation and discourse.

Archaeology of Historic Sites

Study of sites from historical periods; emphasizes the modern world and post-contact societies, sometimes viewed as overly particularistic.

1960s conferences

Era when historical archaeology debates advanced, pushing for broader approaches beyond mere description.

Artifact

A portable object made or modified by humans.

Ecofact

Natural remains (e.g., bones, seeds) that inform about past human activity without being human-made.

Feature

Non-portable evidence of human activity (e.g., hearths, roads, burials, ditches).

Document

Written sources used to interpret archaeological contexts.

Ethnography

Systematic study of cultures through immersive fieldwork, used for comparative interpretation in archaeology.

Oral history

Accounts of the past transmitted orally, used alongside other evidence.

Environmental features

Environmental context and conditions surrounding archaeological sites and finds.

Material Culture

The tangible objects, artifacts, and built environment produced or modified by humans.

Built environment

The human-made surroundings (buildings, infrastructure) associated with everyday life.

Deetz quote on environment

The sector of our physical environment that we modify through culturally determined behavior.

History/Protohistory/Prehistory (false divides)

Conceptual divisions based on availability of written records; they are not absolute boundaries but categories with evidentiary bases.