Untitled Flashcards Set

Chalcolithic

Transitional era between the Neolithic and Bronze Age (4000-2000 BC).

Uruk

Considered one of the most important ancient cities, recognized as the birthplace of writing and a major center for early civilization.

Sumerians

Ancient civilization that lived in Mesopotamia from around 4100-1750 BCE, known for their innovations in language, architecture, and governance.

Cuneiform

Edge-shaped characters used in the ancient writing system of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Ugarit, impressed on clay tablets.

Great Zimbabwe

Capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe from the 23rd century AD, wealthy from trade networks connecting Southeast Africa with the Middle East.

Sea Peoples Kerma

Group of seafaring raiders who attacked Egypt and other regions of the eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age around 1200 BC.

Akhenaten

Pharaoh of ancient Egypt who ruled from 1353-1336 BCE and is noted for introducing Atenism, abandoning traditional polytheism.

Hyksos

Group of West Asian rulers who controlled Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period (1782-1570 BCE).

Hattusa

Capital of the Hittite Empire during the late Bronze Age (6th-1200 BCE).

Ramses the Great

Egyptian pharaoh (1303-1213 BCE), known for his military campaigns, including the Battle of Kadesh.

Knossos

Bronze Age archaeological site in Crete, a major center of the Minoan civilization.

Akkadians

First known ancient empire of Mesopotamia that succeeded the Sumerians (24th and 22nd centuries BC).

LBK

Archaeological horizon of the European Neolithic period (5500-4500 BC).

Talheim Death Pit

Mass grave found in LBK dating back to around 5000 BC.

Stonehenge

Prehistoric megalithic structure in England, part of a complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments.

La Tene

Art style associated with the Celtic European Iron Age culture, developed during the late Iron Age.

Scythians

Nomadic warrior tribes living in the Eurasian steppe from around 900 BC to 200 BC.

Minoans

Advanced Bronze Age civilization that lived on the island of Crete from approximately 3000-1100 BCE.

Mycenae

Term used for Late Bronze Age Greece, excluding Crete.

Troy

Ancient city in present-day Turkey, first settled around 3600 BC.

Alexander the Great

King of Macedon, undefeated in battle, regarded as one of history's greatest military commanders.

LiDAR

Active remote sensing system used to measure vegetation height across wide areas.

Carthage

Ancient city in Northern Africa, a primary rival to Rome, destroyed during the Third Punic War.

Tophet

Archaeological term for cemeteries of children at Carthaginian sites, believed to involve human sacrifice.

Lady Dai

Chinese noblewoman and well-preserved mummy from the Western Han dynasty.

Remote sensing

The process of gathering information about an area or object from a distance, typically using satellites or aircraft.

Four-tier settlement

Classification system for settlements including small towns, hamlets, and villages.

Harappa

Archaeological site in Pakistan, part of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Mohenjo-Daro

Ancient settlement in the Indus Valley, one of the earliest major cities.

Atlatl

Handheld tool used to throw darts or javelins with greater force and distance.

Indus Valley

Bronze Age civilization in Northwestern South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.

Maurya

Geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia, founded in 322 BCE.

Suryavarman II

Ruler of the Khmer Empire from 1113-1150, known for building Angkor Wat.

Asoka

Emperor of Magadha from 268 BCE to 232 BCE, credited with spreading Buddhism.

Black Earth Angkor

Capital city of the Khmer Empire located in present-day Cambodia, flourishing from the 9th to 15th centuries.

Cham

Austronesian ethnic group in Southeast Asia, original inhabitants of central Vietnam and coastal Cambodia.

Shang

Chinese royal dynasty that ruled in the Yellow River valley during the second millennium BC.

Zhou

Longest royal dynasty in Chinese history, existing from 1046-256 BCE.

Emperor Qin

Founder of the Qin dynasty, first emperor of China, known for building the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army.

Oracle bones

Pieces of ox scapula and turtle plastron used for divination during the Late Shang period.

Warring States

Period in Chinese history (475-221 BCE) when small kingdoms fought for dominance.

Anyang

Location of the ancient city of Yin, capital of the Shang dynasty.

Terracotta Warriors

Collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang.

Xia

The first dynasty in traditional Chinese historiography, succeeded by the Shang dynasty.

Chaco

Network of archaeological sites in northwestern New Mexico, important for its pre-Columbian cultural complex.

Hopewell

Describes a network of precontact Native American cultures that flourished in settlements.

Cahokia

Site of a Native American city developed around 1000 CE, across from the Mississippi River.

Mississippian

Collection of Native American societies in the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from 800 to 1600.

Silla

Korean kingdom that existed from 57 BCE to 935 CE, located on the southern parts of the Korean Peninsula.

Jade

Decorative rock used to make jewelry and ornaments.

Indo-European

Language family that includes languages spoken in Europe, Asia, and northern India.

Hittites

Ancient Indo-European people who established a major empire in Turkey around 1600 BCE.

Yamato

Period of Japanese history characterized by Imperial court rule from modern-day Yamato province.

Kofun

Ancient burial mounds or tombs in Northeast Asia constructed from the 3rd century to early 7th century AD.

Bonampak

Ancient Maya archaeological site known for best-preserved Maya murals.

Maya

Mesoamerican civilization known for ancient temples and glyphs, flourishing from 2000 BCE to 1697 AD.

Hieroglyphs

Stylized picture representing a word, syllable, or sound in ancient writing systems.

Tikal

Ancient city located in Guatemala, likely called Yax Mutal, existing from the 6th to 10th century AD.

Naranjo

Pre-Columbian Maya city in Guatemala, occupied from about 500 BC to 950 AD.

Teotihuacan

Ancient Mesoamerican city located in the State of Mexico.

Jayavarman VII

King of the Khmer/Angkor Empire, known for his devotion to Buddhism.

Olmec

First major civilization in Mesoamerica, flourishing from around 1200 to 400 BCE.

Moche

Civilization in northern Peru that flourished from about 100-800 AD.

Inca

Advanced civilization that ruled a large empire in the Andes Mountains from 1200 to 1533 AD.

Machu Picchu

15th-century Inca citadel, most familiar city of the Inca Empire.

Quetzalcoatl

Deity in Aztec culture, associated with fertility and change over time.

Logographic

Relating to written symbols that represent entire words or morphemes.

Syllabic

Relating to or based on syllables.

Seriation

The act of arranging items in a sequence for chronologic determination.

Knorosov

Russian linguist known for his work in deciphering Mayan hieroglyphic writing.

Proskouriakoff

Russian-American Mayanist scholar who significantly contributed to deciphering Maya civilization.

Kakaw(a)

Word for cacao in the Indigenous Mayan language Kiche.

Tenochtitlan

Capital of the expanding Aztec Empire from 1325-1521, located in present-day Mexico City.

Chinampas

Sustainable agriculture system of artificial islands in Mesoamerica.

Khipu

Recording devices made from knotted cords used in the Andes Mountains.