Techniques
What is the first step in conducting field research?
A survey of the area
What is relative dating?
A method used to determine the sequence of artifacts or events without assigning a specific age.
What is archaeological context?
The relationship of an artifact with other artifacts and the environment in which it was found.
What is a survey in archaeology?
The process of systematically searching an area for artifacts or cultural debris.
What role do drones play in archaeology?
Drones are used for aerial surveys to identify potential archaeological sites that are difficult to see from the ground.
How do archaeologists document artifacts?
They use field notes and labels to assign catalog or accession numbers to objects.
Describe the law of superposition.
It states that in undisturbed layers of rock or soil, older layers are at the bottom and younger layers are at the top.
Why is context important for artifacts?
Helps to understand the use, age, and significance of artifacts and their relationships to each other.
How do archaeologists use GPS coordinates?
GPS coordinates are collected for each piece of cultural debris to accurately document their locations.
How has Google Earth been utilized in surveys?
It allows archaeologists to examine large areas of land for unusual topography and potential structures.
What is a grid system used for?
Enables archaeologists to document and map all artifacts and features as they are found in situ (in the original location).
What is the significance of stratigraphy?
It helps in understanding the chronological sequence of events and artifacts based on their layers.
How do ecofacts contribute to understanding the past?
Ecofacts, such as seeds or animal bones, provide information about the environment and ancient human diets.
What are test pits?
Excavation units dug to determine the potential of a site based on the quantity of cultural materials found.
What is the purpose of dendrochronology?
It involves measuring tree ring patterns to determine the age of wooden structures or artifacts.
Explain the importance of context in archaeology.
Context is crucial for understanding the significance and even age of artifacts, features, and ecofacts.
What is radiocarbon dating?
A method that uses the radioactive isotope carbon-14 to date organic materials, effective for samples between 300 and 50,000 years old.
What happens if artifacts are moved before documentation?
The archaeological context of that object and its associated data will be lost.
Describe the excavation process.
It involves careful removal of earth using tools like trowels and toothbrushes to uncover fragile artifacts.
Explain how seriation helps in dating artifacts.
Seriation involves arranging artifacts in chronological order based on their styles to determine relative dates.
What are some technologies used in surveys?
Drones and Google Earth are examples of technologies used to search for unusual topography and potential structures.
Identify four absolute dating methods.
Radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology, potassium-argon dating, and uranium-series dating.
What is the difference between primary and secondary context?
Primary context is where the artifact found, secondary context are objects that have been removed from their primary context.
How is soil sampling used in archaeology?
Soil samples may be collected to conduct pollen studies, which can provide information about past environments.
What are the applications (uses) of chronological dating techniques?
They provide precise dates for archaeological sites, allowing for better understanding of cultural changes over time.