Material Culture of the Past

Neolithic period

characterized by the development of agriculture and increased sedentism (crops, animals, small settlements, villages)

Archeology

accomplished through the recovery, analysis, and interpretation of material culture; benefitted by technological advancements

Paleolithic period

archaeological period between c. 10,000 BC, characterized by the first modern 'homo sapiens' and tool manufacturing

Neolithic revolution

the origin and consequences of farming site - distinct clustering of artifacts, features, structures, and both organic and inorganic remains

Excavation

principle method of data acquisition in archeology involving the systematic uncovering of archeological remains

Artifacts

portable object used, modified, or made by humans (ex. paint pot)

Ecofact

organic and environmental remains (ex. skeleton, animal bones)

Feature

non-portable artifact (ex. grave, tomb, structures, shell middens)

Assemblage

group of artifacts, ecofacts, and features occuring together at a particular time and place

Attributes

base characteristics of an artifact
1. surface: decoration, pattern, color
2. shape: dimensions, indentations and protrusions, shape itself
3. technological: primarily raw materials used; intended use of artifact

Typology

systematic organization of artifacts into types on the basis of shared attributes (NOT TAXONOMY)

Matrix

materials surrounding of a find (ex. soil, sand)

Provenance

the exact position of a find w/in a matrix

Association

co-occurrence of an artifact w/ other archeological remain, usually in the same matrix

Relative dating

determination of a chronological sequence w/out recourse to a fixed time scale

Seriation

chronological ordering of a group of artifacts

Stratification

the laying down or depositing of strata or layers (deposits) one above the other
1. provides a relative chronological sequence, w/ earlier at the bottom and latest at the top

Stratigraphy

the study of stratification
1. relative dating technique
2. vertical: time
3. horizontal: space
4. objects found in the same layer are often buried at the same time

Law of superposition

lower layers were deposited before higher layers
- Wheeler Grid: excavation of different sections of a site depending on its age

Absolute dating

determination of age w/ reference to a specific time scale, such as a fixed calendrical system

Radiocarbon dating

absolute dating method that measures the decay of radioactive isotope Carbon-14 in organic material