Underwater and Social Archaeology Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is one of the primary techniques used in underwater archaeology for mapping the seafloor?

Underwater excavation

Remote sensing (correct)

Scuba diving

Photogrammetry

Which of the following best describes a chiefdom in social archaeology?

Communities focused solely on subsistence farming

Centralized and permanent social organizations

Greater hierarchy with permanent leadership positions (correct)

Small, egalitarian groups with informal leadership

What is the significance of the Uluburun Shipwreck in underwater archaeology?

It represents the earliest form of agricultural society.

It provides insights into Neolithic housing design.

It was primarily a fishing vessel.

It contains a vast cargo of various materials like copper and glass. (correct)

Which social structure is characterized by the presence of a bureaucracy and a monopoly on legitimate use of force?

State Signup and view all the answers

In underwater archaeology, which technique involves creating 3D models from overlapping photos?

Photogrammetry Signup and view all the answers

How are tribes differentiated from bands in social archaeology?

Tribes consist of larger populations with more sedentary lifestyles. Signup and view all the answers

What type of historical insight can be gained from the Skara Brae site?

Prehistoric life and housing design Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic feature of a band society?

Permanent leadership roles Signup and view all the answers

What is a common environmental factor that underwater archaeologists study?

Impact of environmental change Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a heterarchy from a hierarchy?

Heterarchy distributes power horizontally. Signup and view all the answers

Which hypothesis explains the emergence of inequality through public works organization?

Hydraulic Hypothesis Signup and view all the answers

What is one method archaeologists use to study past environments?

Studying isotopes of oxygen Signup and view all the answers

How do class conflicts typically manifest in societies according to coercion theories?

By protecting the interests of the surplus and powerful. Signup and view all the answers

What environmental condition is predicted to influence an upcoming 'super-interglacial' period?

High atmospheric CO2 concentrations Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best identifies how archaeologists discern social status in the past?

Analyzing burial practices and resource distribution Signup and view all the answers

What role does individual agency play in the emergence of complex societies?

It is exhibited through political entrepreneurs manipulating various factors. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Last Glacial Maximum approximately identified at?

~24,000 years ago Signup and view all the answers

Which process can lead to soil erosion as population grows?

Increased agricultural practices Signup and view all the answers

What environmental factor can contribute to warfare according to coercion theories?

Environmental Circumscription Signup and view all the answers

What significant environmental change occurred globally for the first time in 2015?

Levels of CO2 surged past 400 ppm Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary uses of stable isotopes in archaeological science?

Inferring diets and migration patterns Signup and view all the answers

Why is Ötzi significant to archaeological scientists?

His body provides insights into ancient diseases and life events Signup and view all the answers

What technique does elemental analysis utilize to study archaeological materials?

Measuring the elemental composition of materials Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of bioarchaeology?

Analyzing human remains Signup and view all the answers

Under NAGPRA, what is required from institutions holding Native American remains?

They must return remains to affiliated tribes Signup and view all the answers

The 9000-year-old skeleton known as Kennewick Man was determined to be Native American through what process?

Genetic testing and legal battles Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the impact of extreme weather on society?

Caused famine and social instability Signup and view all the answers

What type of analysis would be used to identify chemical residues on ancient artifacts?

Residue analysis Signup and view all the answers

What was notable about the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere in 2021?

They reached 149% of pre-industrial levels Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Underwater Archaeology

Questions underwater archaeologists ask include ancient navigation, trade routes, ship construction, and environmental impacts.
Techniques include remote sensing (sonar, magnetometers) to map seafloors and identify buried objects without disturbing sites; underwater excavation with hand tools or water dredges; and photogrammetry for creating 3D models of artifacts.

Social organization is categorized as bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states.
- Bands are small, self-sufficient, egalitarian groups with informal leadership, based on family, and dividing labor by age and sex.
- Tribes are more integrated than bands with greater social/cultural integration. Leadership is non-permanent and charismatic.
- Chiefdoms have greater hierarchy with permanent leadership positions, kin-based social ranks, and inequality in access.
- States have centralized permanent organizations, including large communities and complex social/political/economic functions with bureaucracy.
Hierarchy versus heterarchy: Hierarchy is a top-down organizational structure with a clear chain of command; heterarchy is a more flexible network structure with shared decision-making.

Cooperation & Emergence in Complex Societies

Cooperation 1 theory: Hydraulic Hypothesis suggests that increasingly complex societies emerge through efforts to use water resources efficiently.
Cooperation Theory 2: Population growth necessitates organization for feeding and resource management

Environmental Archaeology

Methods include stable isotope ratios (O16/O18) in ice cores, deep-sea cores, and corals to understand past climates.
Phytoliths and pollen can reveal past vegetation.
Atmospheric CO2 concentrations from gas bubbles in ice show changes over time.
Understanding the relationship between environment and agriculture is important.

Climate Change

Coming "super-interglacial" period is induced by CO2. Rising sea levels, increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere (past a benchmark of 400 ppm), and extreme weather events are noted as effects.

Archaeological Science

Methods for studying the past, such as Stable Isotopes (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon) analyze isotopic ratios to understand past diets, migration, and environmental conditions. Ancient DNA analysis can trace relationships, and elemental analysis studies material composition. Residue analysis on artifacts can reveal food processing or use of certain materials
Other methods like residue analysis are important; they can help to understand ancient cultures—for example, reconstructing food processing through identifying chemical residues on artifacts.

Cultural Resource Management and Historic Archaeology

NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) requires institutions to return Native American remains and artifacts.
Bioarchaeology studies human remains in context, including burial data, disposal location, body orientation, disposal method, sex, age, grave goods, etc., and other factors relevant to past human interactions.
Methods include examining trauma, paleopathology, nutritional stresses, and signs of illness or disease. Techniques include sexing, aging, and examining materials and trauma or healing signs on bones to understand past human lives and situations.

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Description

Explore the fascinating fields of underwater and social archaeology. This quiz covers critical questions regarding ancient navigation and trade routes as well as the social organization structures from bands to states. Test your knowledge on techniques used in underwater archaeology and the classifications of social groups.