Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is dendrochronology used for?
What is dendrochronology used for?
Which method can be used for sites that are 10,000 years old or younger?
Which method can be used for sites that are 10,000 years old or younger?
What does archaeometallurgy focus on?
What does archaeometallurgy focus on?
In archaeology, what is taphonomy related to?
In archaeology, what is taphonomy related to?
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What does bioarchaeology primarily focus on?
What does bioarchaeology primarily focus on?
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What do absolute dating methods provide along with the date for archaeological sites or fossils?
What do absolute dating methods provide along with the date for archaeological sites or fossils?
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What do macrobotanical remains help archaeologists reconstruct?
What do macrobotanical remains help archaeologists reconstruct?
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Which of the following animals is considered microfauna in archaeology?
Which of the following animals is considered microfauna in archaeology?
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In archaeology, what do specialists from other disciplines contribute to the multidisciplinary approach?
In archaeology, what do specialists from other disciplines contribute to the multidisciplinary approach?
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What does the theoretical framework of Networks and Boundaries focus on?
What does the theoretical framework of Networks and Boundaries focus on?
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What does Niche Construction Theory (NCT) propose about humans?
What does Niche Construction Theory (NCT) propose about humans?
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What kind of remains can be recovered from archaeological sites as part of macrobotanical remains?
What kind of remains can be recovered from archaeological sites as part of macrobotanical remains?
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What does Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating measure?
What does Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating measure?
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What is the main focus of Paleoanthropology?
What is the main focus of Paleoanthropology?
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What characterizes Paleoenvironment?
What characterizes Paleoenvironment?
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How does Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating set the 'clock' to zero?
How does Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating set the 'clock' to zero?
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What does Paleomagnetism use for absolute dating?
What does Paleomagnetism use for absolute dating?
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What does Paleoenvironment develop due to?
What does Paleoenvironment develop due to?
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What type of dating technique is Potassium-Argon Dating?
What type of dating technique is Potassium-Argon Dating?
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Which technique is specifically used to study plant pollen for various purposes?
Which technique is specifically used to study plant pollen for various purposes?
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What does Phytolith analysis primarily focus on?
What does Phytolith analysis primarily focus on?
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What does Postprocessual Archaeology emphasize?
What does Postprocessual Archaeology emphasize?
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Which time range is suitable for using the Potassium-Argon Dating technique in dating inorganic materials?
Which time range is suitable for using the Potassium-Argon Dating technique in dating inorganic materials?
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What can the alignment of magnetic particles in rock help determine?
What can the alignment of magnetic particles in rock help determine?
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What is the main focus of Processual Archaeology?
What is the main focus of Processual Archaeology?
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What is the primary purpose of Radiocarbon Dating?
What is the primary purpose of Radiocarbon Dating?
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Why must radiocarbon dates be calibrated?
Why must radiocarbon dates be calibrated?
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What is the key principle behind Radiometric Techniques?
What is the key principle behind Radiometric Techniques?
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Which technique provides a sequence of 'older' and 'younger' but not calendar dates?
Which technique provides a sequence of 'older' and 'younger' but not calendar dates?
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What technology does Remote Sensing primarily utilize?
What technology does Remote Sensing primarily utilize?
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Study Notes
Absolute Dating
- Includes methods that provide calendar dates for archaeological sites or fossil finds
- Examples: dendrochronology, radiocarbon dating, potassium-argon dating
- Except for dendrochronology, these methods yield dates with standard deviations, resulting in a time range for a site or fossil
Agency
- Theoretical perspective discussing the role of the individual in shaping change in cultures and societies
- Focuses on the actions and decisions of individuals in shaping cultural and social change
Archaeology
- Study of humanity’s past
- Includes analyses of cultural materials such as flaked stone artifacts, animal bones, prehistoric art and personal ornamentations
- Examines settlement systems, taphonomy of archaeological sites, past social and political systems
Archaeomagnetism
- Absolute dating method using variation in the Earth’s magnetic pole over time
- Iron particles in heated clay features are aligned to the magnetic north pole at the time of firing
- Orientation of iron particles is compared to a magnetic north pole sequence to determine an age for the firing of the feature
- Can be used for sites that are 10,000 years old or younger
Archaeometallurgy
- Study of the production and use of metals in the past
- Includes the analysis of metal artifacts and production techniques
Bioarchaeology
- Examines human bones to identify features of individuals and populations
- Includes the study of diet, disease, and mortality rates
Macrobotanical Remains
- Plant remains recovered from archaeological sites
- Includes seeds and wood charcoal
- Useful in reconstructing plant use, including plant foods, and local environments
Microfauna
- Small animals such as mice, moles, and snails
- Valuable indicators of paleoenvironments due to their sensitivity to changes in local temperature and moisture
Multidisciplinary Approach
- Collaboration with specialists from multiple disciplines to interpret cultural materials and natural features of archaeological sites
- Includes specialists from archaeology, geochemistry, geology, ethnography, and chronology laboratories
Networks and Boundaries
- Theoretical framework focusing on the creation and maintenance of alliances and the definition of political and community groups
- Examines the ways in which individuals and groups interact and define their boundaries
Niche Construction Theory
- Humans actively change or manipulate features of the landscape around them and resources in those landscapes
- Applied to explain the origins of food production and of domesticated plants and animals in human societies
Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating
- Absolute dating technique using quartz grains extracted from sediment samples
- Measures the light emitted from the quartz grains to calculate the last time they were exposed to sunlight
- Provides dates for the past 10,000 to 100,000 years
Paleoanthropology
- Study of human cultural and biological evolution
- Includes the study of early hominin fossils and biological anthropology
Paleoenvironment
- Types of environments and habitats characteristic of regions during the past
- Developed due to changes in climate and human manipulation of vegetation and animal communities
Paleomagnetism
- Absolute dating technique using reversals in the Earth’s magnetic pole
- Measures the alignment of magnetic particles in rock to determine the age of the layer
- Useful for sites dating to 780,000 years ago and older
Palynology
- Study of plant pollen to better understand past environments, human impact on environments, hominin diet, and climate change
Phytoliths
- Microscopic plant parts composed of silica or calcium oxalate
- Shapes and sizes specific to particular plants
- Preserve well and can lend insight into plant use, plant foods, and local environments at archaeological sites
Postprocessual Archaeology
- Theoretical perspective emphasizing the study of particular cultures and their histories
- Focuses on the role of ideology and the actions of individuals
- Does not stress the use of scientific methodology
Potassium-Argon Dating
- Radiometric dating technique providing absolute dates based on the half-life decay rate of 40K into 40Ar
- Used in dating inorganic materials such as lava flows or tuff beds
- Provides bracket dates for archaeological sites and hominin fossil finds
Processual Archaeology
- Theoretical perspective using social, economic, and environmental dynamics to interpret cultural changes over time
- Based on the use of scientific methodology
Radiocarbon Dating
- Absolute dating method using the decay rate of 14C to calculate the age of organic materials
- Dates materials from the past 40,000 years, and possibly up to 60,000 years ago
- Requires calibration due to fluctuations in the amount of 14C in the Earth’s atmosphere over time
Radiometric Techniques
- Dating techniques using the principle of a known rate of decay of specific radioactive isotopes into stable isotopes over time
- Examples include radiocarbon dating and potassium-argon dating
Relative Dating
- Techniques providing a sequence of “older” and “younger” rather than calendar dates
- Examples include stratigraphy and seriation
Remote Sensing
- Uses technology such as satellite images, ground-penetrating radar, and LiDAR to aid in the location of archaeological sites and buried or vegetation-covered features of sites
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