Ant 363 midterm

Anthropology

The study of humans, their societies, cultures, and their development.

Archaeology

The branch of anthropology that studies past human behavior through material remains.

Culture

The social behavior, norms, values, and traditions developed by societies.

Artifact

Any object made or used by humans, often found during archaeological excavations.

Historical Archaeology

The study of past societies through their material remains in conjunction with historical records.

Stratigraphy

The analysis of the order and position of layers of archaeological remains.

Sites

Specific locations where archaeological material is found.

Scale

The size or level of detail at which archaeological research is conducted.

Random Sampling

A sampling method where each member of a population has an equal chance of selection.

Non-Random Sampling

A sampling method that does not give all individuals equal chances, often based on specific criteria.

Survey

A systematic examination of a geographical area to locate archaeological sites.

Survey Visibility

The ease with which archaeological remains can be seen and located during a survey.

Excavation

The systematic digging to reveal and record archaeological deposits and features.

Logical Deduction

The process of reasoning from one or more statements to reach a logically certain conclusion.

Three Age System

A framework for classifying prehistoric societies into Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages.

Speculative Phase

The early stage in archaeology focused on ideas and theories without firm evidence.

Traditional Archaeology

An approach that emphasizes cultural history and artifact descriptions.

Processual Archaeology

An approach that focuses on the scientific method, explanations, and generalizations.

Post-Processual Archaeology

An approach stressing the interpretation of cultural meaning and individual agency.

Midwestern Taxonomic System

A classification system for North American archaeological cultures.

Harris Matrix

A tool used to represent the stratigraphic relationships of archaeological layers.

Assemblage

A collection of artifacts from a particular archaeological context.

Lewis Binford

An influential archaeologist known for his work in processual archaeology.

Ian Hodder

An archaeological theorist associated with post-processual archaeology.

Ecofacts

Natural items that provide information about past human activity.

Feature

A non-portable archaeological evidence, such as a wall or a hearth.

Matrix

The material context in which artifacts are found, typically soil.

Provenance

The origin or source of an artifact, including its history and context.

Association

The relationship between artifacts or ecofacts found in the same context.

Types of Preservation on Organic Remains

Methods such as freezing, drying, and chemical preservation to maintain organic materials.

Cultural Resource Management

Practices aimed at protecting and managing archaeological sites.

Goals of Archaeology

To understand past human behaviors, cultures, and societies through scientific methods.

LiDAR

Light Detection and Ranging, a remote sensing method used to map land features.

Electromagnetics

Techniques used in archaeology for subsurface exploration.

Aerial Reconnaissance

The observation and mapping of archaeological sites from the air.

Ground Reconnaissance

The examination of archaeological sites and features on foot.

Theodolite

An instrument used for measuring horizontal and vertical angles.

Seriation

The ordering of artifacts in a sequence based on their characteristics.

Shovel Test Pit

A method of subsurface testing for archaeological sites using shovel-excavated pits.

GPR

Ground Penetrating Radar, a geophysical method used to detect subsurface structures.

Chronology

The arrangement of events or artifacts in a timeline.

Dendrochronology

The science of dating tree rings to determine the age of wooden artifacts or events.

Carbon Dating

A method for determining the age of organic materials using radioactive decay.

Thermoluminescence

A dating method for ceramics and sediments based on the last time they were heated.

Paleomagnetism

The study of the magnetic properties of prehistoric materials to date them.

Cosmogenic Nuclide Burial Dating

A dating method based on the accumulation of isotopes produced by cosmic rays.

Uranium/Thorium Dating

A radiometric dating technique based on the decay of uranium and thorium isotopes.

Clovis

An early North American archaeological culture characterized by distinctive stone tools.

Lenape

A Native American people originally from the Delaware Valley.

Artifact Analysis

The examination and interpretation of artifacts to ascertain their function and importance.

Excavation

The process of digging carefully at archaeological sites to uncover artifacts and features.

Aerial Photography

Taking photographs of the earth's surface from an elevated position for archaeological analysis.

Absolute Date

A specific date or date range for an event or artifact.

Relative Date

The age of a fossil or artifact in comparison to other fossils or artifacts.

Dumpy Level

An optical instrument used for surveying and leveling ground.

William Green House

A specific archaeological site or structure of interest.

Burlington Island

An archaeological site that may contain historical artifacts.