Finding Sites + Research Design
This is the most common method archaeologists use to discover archaeological sites
What is surface survey
Placing artifacts and sites in chronological order with NO specific dates is an example of this type of dating.
What is relative dating?
This subfield of archaeology involves making observations of contemporary people to better understand the archaeological record.
What is ethnoarchaeology?
Cultural change over TIME is called this.
What is diachronic change?
This type of sampling strategy is used when an archaeologist wants to make predictions about the number and variety of sites.
What is a probabilistic sampling strategy?
This excavation method uses set levels like 10cm or 5cm.
What is excavating by arbitrary levels?
Classifying an artifact as a 'small, triangular arrowhead' is an example of this type of typology.
What is a hybrid typology?
Archaeological interest in major events like the origins of food production and collapse of civilizations falls within this level of research.
What is high-level or grant theory?
Shovel testing is an example of this type of site discovery method, while LIDAR is not.
What is an invasive method?
A calibrated relative dating technique based on the knowledge that freshly exposed surfaces of obsidian absorb moisture from the surrounding environments in measurable layers.
What is obsidian hydration?
Cranial sutures on human skulls are most commonly used as an indicator of this.
What is age at death?
The three major conceptual frameworks used by archaeologists.
These are the 9 basic stages of archaeological research according to Muckle.
What are:
1. Identifying the need for field research
According to Bigger Than History Ch. 7, archaeologists worked productively with this group to help control looting.
Who are metal detector users?
This type of experimental archaeology replicates the area of manufacture and deposition to study decay and preservation.
What is contextual experimental archaeology?
This is the principal mechanism of cultural change.
What is diffusion?