Definitions
Artifacts - Objects made by ________, such as tools, weapons, containers, etc.
people
A scientist who wants to know something simply to gain knowledge
Pure Scientist
How many of the tests related to eclecticism does a document need to pass to be considered historically reliable?
All three
What is dendrochronology?
The process of counting a tree's rings to determine the age of the tree
Relative Age - A comparison of whether an artifact is ________ or _______ than a second artifact.
younger, older
Life Science - A term that encompasses all scientific pursuits related to _________ organisms
living
Who studies human life by looking at preserved relics or artifacts?
Archaeologists
This test checks to see whether a document agrees with itself or contradicts itself
Internal Test
Why is dendrochronology mostly reliable?
Trees typically produce one light and one dark colored ring of growth each year of it's life
What is the process called that scientists use to come up with the relative age of something?
The Principle of Superposition
The study of the Earth's history as revealed in the rocks that make up the Earth
Geology
A scientist who conducts experiments with the goal of making something better
Applied Scientist
This test compares the information in a document with known historical or archaeological facts
External Test
After how many years is dendrochronology considered unreliable?
Around 8,000 years
What should we assume about the strata (layers) of the earth when it comes to finding ancient artifacts
Younger artifacts will be buried on top of older artifacts
The study of life's history as revealed in the preserved remains of once-living organisms
Paleontology
Who studies the history of all life by looking at the preserved remains of organisms?
Paleontologists
How do we find the known age of something?
It is either directly on the artifact, or recorded in an historically reliable document
What does it mean if a section of tree rings is thicker than the section next to it?
During that span of time, the tree experienced a period of rapid growth due to good growing conditions from things like extra water, nutrients, and good weather
How long is Superposition reliable for?
Up to around 3,000 years
Archaeology - The study of past human life as revealed by preserved ________
relics
ALL scientists use this process or machine to make life or jobs easier
Technology
What TWO questions does the bibliographic test ask?
1. How many years have passed between the original and the first known copy?
2. How many copies exist that are made by different people?
Why is dendrochronology not considered as reliable as finding the known age?
Because sometimes trees can grow more than one new layer of rings in the same year, meaning dates could be off
Why is the Principle of Superposition not as reliable as Dendrochronology?
Because you have to assume that the ground you are studying formed layers over time, when it could have been formed all at once through a catastrophe or major natural event