Archaeology Introduction

What is Archaeology?

Archaeology is the scientific study of human history—written and unwritten—through the analysis of human* material culture.

What is an Artifact?

Anything owing any of its attributes to human activity is usually a discrete object.

What is the Principle of Superposition?

“If the strata are undisturbed in a sequence of strata, the last will be deposited at the top and the first deposited at the bottom”

Who proposed the Principle of Strata Identified by Fossils?

George Cuvier proposed that different rock layers contain distinct types of fossils, providing a chronological record.

-This principle allows for the correlation of strata across broad geographic areas because each strata contains its own unique set of fossils

What is a significant contribution of Thomas Jefferson to archaeology?

He conducted one of the first scientific excavations of a Native American burial mound.

-Jefferson implied that Native Americans did build the mounds
using both stratigraphy and the Direct Historic Approach (but henever directly stated it)

What are moundbuilders?

Ancient societies in North America known for constructing large earth mounds used for ceremonial, burial, and habitation purposes.

-(Cahokia was the most predominant society)

What does the Three-Age System categorize early human technology into?

Stone Age, Copper/Bronze Age, and Iron Age.

Who developed the Principle of Association?

J. J. A. Worsaae developed this principle, relating artifacts found in the same context or layer to be from the same time period.

What is the significance of Bishop James Ussher's work?

He is known for calculating the date of Creation according to the Bible as 4004 B.C.

What did Jacques Boucher de Perthes discover at Menchecourt?

He found artifacts alongside extinct fauna, suggesting humans existed during the same time as these prehistoric animals.

What site did Charles Lyell study that contributed to understanding of extinct fauna?

He studied the Brixham Cave, where artifacts were found in association with extinct faunal remains.

What is stratigraphic excavation?

An archaeological excavation method that records the layers of soil (strata) to analyze context and chronology.

What is the direct historical approach in archaeology?

• Using the present as a chronological
  anchor to work backward in time from
  the present into the past

• Comparing artifacts used by the people
  living in the area at the time to those
  found in the excavations

What is nationalist archaeology?

Using the archaeological record to justify a historical, political, or geographic position

What is the focus of Nabonidus in archaeology?

He is often considered the first archaeologist for his systematic approach to excavations and study of ancient sites.

• Wrote Archaeological reports

• Direct Historical Approach and Nationalist Archaeology

What did the term 'strata/stratum' refer to in an archaeological context?

The layers of soil or rock (deposit) found in an archaeological site, which can indicate different periods of human activity.

What attributes exist for artifacts, and what do they entail?

• Form – anything shaped or created by a human
• Location – anything, even if unmodified, moved by a human