ANTH 1132 Intro to Archaeology Week 2 PDF

ANTH 1132 INTRO TO ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK 2 – ARCHAEOLOGY IN BREADTH INTRO TO ARCHAEOLOGY Course schedule INTRO TO ARCHAEOLOGY Course content Reminder: All course materials are posted in the Course Materials (Content) page: Syllabus Lecture slides Assignment instructions...

ANTH 1132 INTRO TO ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK 2 – ARCHAEOLOGY IN BREADTH INTRO TO ARCHAEOLOGY Course schedule INTRO TO ARCHAEOLOGY Course content Reminder: All course materials are posted in the Course Materials (Content) page: Syllabus Lecture slides Assignment instructions Readings (non-textbook) Film study questions  BONUS (OPTIONAL) ASSIGNMENT: HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 OBJECTS From: to: to: BONUS (OPTIONAL) ASSIGNMENT: HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 OBJECTS 1. Choose an object that nobody else has presented on yet 2. Email me to reserve a presentation day (48-hours in advance) 3. Listen to the ~15-minute podcast + take notes 4. Put together a 3-minute presentation that answers: 1. Where is the object from? 2. What material(s) is it made of? 3. What time period and culture group does it originate from? 4. What is its cultural significance? 5. How does this object relate to themes we have discussed in class? Worth a ‘bonus’ 3% added to your final course grade For full assignment instructions, see Brightspace READING “INTRODUCING ARCHAEOLOGY” Complete the reading for the each week before our first class of that week. Take notes (remember: you can bring these to your exams!) … and write down any questions that come up for you. Bring your textbook, notes, and questions to class with you. You will need these to fully participate in the course. READING “INTRODUCING ARCHAEOLOGY” Make use of the tools provided by our textbook (in each chapter)! “ARCHAEOLOGY IS EVERYWHERE IN THE EARLY 21ST CENTURY” (AND INVISIBLE?) Public archaeology in Scotland NOT public archaeology in Canada Archaeology in British Columbia is rarely publicly accessible “ARCHAEOLOGY IS EVERYWHERE IN THE EARLY 21ST CENTURY” (AND INVISIBLE?) vs. Archaeologists in New Brunswick, Can. Plains Cree archaeologist (credit: CBC) Honey Constant (credit: archandanth.com) Invisible because Archaeologists don’t Archaeology of the late-19th and early-20th century look like you might expect? “ARCHAEOLOGY IS EVERYWHERE IN THE EARLY 21ST CENTURY” (AND INVISIBLE?) Ancient art? Microscopic food (plant) vs. remains 13,000 year old footprints in the mud Ruins – the most visually striking and easy-to-spot remnants of the past Archaeological finds—even very important ones—can be very difficult to spot ARCHAEOLOGY The study of past human culture through material remains Archaeology C. 1600 from Greek arkhaiologia “the study of ancient things;” From Greek arkhaios ["ancient, primeval,“] + -ology [“study of things”]. ARCHAEOLOGY The study of past human culture through material remains Archaeology C. 1600 from Greek arkhaiologia “the study of ancient things;” From Greek arkhaios ["ancient, primeval,“] + -ology [“study of things”]. Palaeontology ARCHAEOLOGY The study of past human culture through material remains Archaeology C. 1600 from Greek arkhaiologia “the study of ancient things;” From Greek arkhaios ["ancient, primeval,“] + -ology [“study of things”]. Palaeontology C.1833 “the science of the former life of the Earth, as preserved in fossils” from Greek palaios ["old, ancient“] + -ology [“study of things”]. ARCHAEOLOGY What is it?? Your week-1 responses: Archaeologists study… deep human history / human origins / behaviour / evolution / biology ancient (lost) civilizations / cultures / technology / environments By … excavating / analyzing / with a variety of tools and methods Examining physical remains / artifacts / ruins / skeletons / texts / landscapes interpretating / explaining / contextualizing / reconstructing the past Archaeology can be characterized as… scientific (evidence, proof) / future-oriented (our past shapes our future) Archaeologists aim to… preserve / protect the past / present it – in museums and as educators find proof / solve mysteries & satisfy curiosity! ARCHAEOLOGY: The study of past human culture through material remains No consensus definition, but this one works well enough Human Culture Past (any period) Material remains (a proxy for human behaviour) WHY DO ARCHAEOLOGY? Curiosity, grandeur… … paleofantasy? (the belief that things were better in the past) 1400 AD ~400 BCE ~800 BCE ~1300 BCE WHY DO ARCHAEOLOGY? Archaeology  development (and/or prevention thereof) “[Archaeology] is part of the multibillion-dollar heritage industry; taught as a scholarly discipline in colleges and universities throughout the world; and firmly embedded in politics, global social movements, and popular culture.” Muckle & Camp 2021:5 Photo: Republic of Archaeology  WHY DO ARCHAEOLOGY? Archaeology  national identity “In many countries of the world, national identity is strongly tied to heritage sites even though research doesn’t always link contemporary peoples of the region with the builders of the sites.” Muckle & Camp 2021:16 Angkor Wat, rebuilt after Cambodian civil war— Great Zimbabwe, gives its name to the nation Nazi-sponsored archaeologists Canada struggles (and often fails) to reconcile ancient Khmer ruin, now tourist hotspot after colonizers relinquish control of Rhodesia searched in vain for evidence their its Indigenous/colonial histories, but proudly ancestors had conquered distant lands uses Indigenous history as a symbol ALURE OF ARCHAEOLOGY A wide variety of approaches and motivations Archaeology as … Humanistic, Scientific, Activist, Craft ALURE OF ARCHAEOLOGY Theory & methods; ideas and material “…for those who are interested in the past, but also like to work with their hands and deal with physical places and objects that can be seen, touched, measured, illustrated, and studied in other ways, archaeology is a good fit. For many, it is this tangible aspect of archaeology that is the draw.” Muckle & Camp 2021:7 Archaeology is a social and a material science “archaeology involves both abstract thought and physical labor” Muckle & Camp 2021:10 THE ‘FRAMEWORK’ OF ARCHAEOLOGY Archaeology is a framework —it is a way (one way) of knowing the past Framework: set of methods and theory that organizes our thoughts and practices What are other ways of knowing the past?  THE ‘FRAMEWORK’ OF ARCHAEOLOGY Archaeology is a framework: One way of knowing the human past. Other ways of knowing the past? Physics Geology Oral & written histories Religion PUZZLES FROM THE PAST Archaeologists often encounter evidence of past humans that aren’t fully described or explained by other frameworks for knowing the past Archaeology is our only tool for learning about the deep time and unrecorded history of humanity. PUZZLES FROM THE PAST: HUMAN ANTIQUITY Written and oral histories of humanity only extend back a few thousand years Material evidence (archaeological finds) suggest that humans ‘evolved’ over 200,000 years ago … What have we been doing in all that time in between? PUZZLES FROM THE PAST: STONEHENGE For over 3,500 years, farmers in southern England built and rebuilt a massive circular monument. Stone for construction was imported from 200 km away. Why? Site of healing? … or of death? Ritual? Calendrical? Symbol of peace? PUZZLES FROM THE PAST: CARADOC SITE 10,000 years ago, someone broke 57 stone points and buried them in a pit. The stone came from 175 km away. Nothing else was found. Why was this done? Why here—an otherwise unused and unremarkable location? Why destroy useable, valuable tools? THE ‘FRAMEWORK’ OF ARCHAEOLOGY In North America, archaeology is usually considered to be a branch of anthropology. Anthropology: The evolutionary, holistic, and comparative study of humans. ‘Four-field anthropology’ Cultural Anthropology Archaeology Physical Anthropology Linguistic Anthropology Study of human culture, Study of past human Study of human Study of languages’ usually through direct culture through physical evolution and structure, evolution, and observation material remains variation, both past and cultural context current CULTURE: The learned and shared things that people have, do, and think (at any scale) When people share space and time together, they develop common behaviours, beliefs, material culture This happens at a national scale, within smaller social spaces, even in shared digital spaces! CULTURE: The learned and shared things that people have, do, and think. What cultures (groups) are you a part of? … ethnicity … hobbies … work … study … volunteering CULTURE: The learned and shared things that people have, do, and think. Anthropologists (including archaeologists) examine culture in a holistic manner. Holism: The recognition that all components of a culture are interrelated—that you can’t understand one aspect of a culture in isolation An archaeologist may study something very particular, but usually it’s with an interest in how that one aspect of the human past fits into a broader cultural picture HOLISM For example… You are an archaeologist who is interested in studying the royal tombs of dynastic Egypt. Your research focus is the burial practices of the elite. But to make sense of the rich and symbolic contents of King Tut.’s tomb, you would need to understand much else about Dynastic Egypt… The environment—the Nile River Valley supported a prosperous, stable culture Their visual language and symbology (what is written on the walls? And for whom?) Their particular beliefs about the afterlife and how one got there (why was Tut mummified? Why were his stillborn children mummified and buried with him?) Their trade networks (why is there ebony and ivory from Nubia, or desert glass jewels from Libya?) The importance of their bureaucracy and their imperial reach. E.g., why include tools of math and recording in a king’s tomb? Or treasures from conquered lands?) MULTIDISCIPLINARY Modern archaeology relies on expertise from other disciplines Cultural Physical Linguistic Geography Earth, Ocean & Philosophy Anthropology Anthropology Anthropology Atmosphere … and history, forensics, museum studies, Indigenous studies, biology, etc, etc… Part of the holistic nature of archaeology. ARCHAEOLOGY Many overlapping flavours Archaeology is… academic Archaeology is… intellectual a hobby physical a business multidisciplinary Archaeology is… personal Archaeology is… about the past professional about the present? political about the future?? RATIONALIZING ARCHAEOLOGY “why do archaeology?” Historically: Belief that archaeology is intrinsically valuable—all knowledge is good and worth building More recently: This is not a good enough reason to spend billions/year, nor justify college programs—the products of archaeology must be in service of present-day society RATIONALIZING ARCHAEOLOGY Group activity Why do we value knowledge about our past? Is there a present-day challenge that knowledge of the human past may help us to address? or… Think about where you live or grew up. What aspect of the past are important to people there? What parts of the past are more invisible?  RATIONALIZING ARCHAEOLOGY “why do archaeology?” Some British Columbia-based responses Use modern tech to add more Help to repatriate ancestral Demonstrate thousands of Find ‘missing children’ graves to the historical knowledge of belongings, and assert years of settlement continuity from Indian Residential his own people, and educate Indigenous sovereignty over for rights & title, and enviro Schools, to help communities others heritage knowledge seek justice, and to heal  RATIONALIZING ARCHAEOLOGY “why do archaeology?” Some British Columbia-based responses Works with Songhees Nation Helps Indigenous Underwater archaeologist, Uses ancient DNA and Forensic work – to investigate historical communities in BC interior career exploring naval wrecks, biomolecular analysis to reconstructing the very recent ecology of archipelago and to manage their own now uses his skills and tech to understand ancient past through material restore food-producing heritage, runs Republic of investigate some of the oldest human/marine ecosystem remains, aiding criminal ecosystem Archaeology sites in BC interactions, sustainability investigations KEY TERMS Chapter 1 Culture Tangible Heritage Holism Deep time Evolution (biological and cultural) Frameworks ANTH 1132 INTRO TO ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK 2 – KNOWING THE PAST THROUGH ARCHAEOLOGY BONUS ASSIGNMENT: HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 OBJECTS Ali Maciurzynski 4: Swimming reindeer ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Box 1.2 “The US government has been consulting with archaeologists since the 1980s on how to best mark proposed storage locations for nuclear waste” Why are archaeologists qualified to advise on nuclear waste storage? ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future “This place is not a place of honor,” reads the text. “No highly esteemed dead is commemorated here … nothing valued is here. What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger. It sounds like the kind of curse that you half-expect to find at the entrance to an ancient burial mound. But this message is intended to help mark the site of the Waste Isolation Pilot Project that has been built over 2,000 feet down through stable rocks beneath the desert of New Mexico. This waste will remain lethal longer than the 300,000 years Homo sapiens has walked across the surface of the planet.” https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200731-how-to-build-a- nuclear-warning-for-10000-years-time ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future “Nuclear physicists, engineers, anthropologists, sci-fi writers, artists and others have come together in the very broad, esoteric field of research into the way that future humans – and anything that comes after us – might be warned of our deadly legacy.” “Sadly, the idea to cover the site with a forest of massive concrete thorns was not taken up, nor the idea to create a self- perpetuating atomic priesthood who would use legend and ritual to create a sense of fear around the site for generations. […] Neither was the idea of breeding cats that would change colour when exposed to radiation […] which would over the millennia teach humans to run if their cats change colour.” https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200731-how-to-build-a-nuclear-warning-for-10000- years-time ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Muckle & Camp 2021:23 Archaeologists’ recommendations: 1. Marking symbols in multiple languages 2. Structures constructed of natural, low-value materials 3. Site marked with ringed monoliths, made of granite or basalt, at least twice human height, marked with pictures 4. Subsurface markers included at at least three different levels ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Archaeologists’ recommendations: 1. Marking symbols in multiple languages 2. Structures constructed of natural, low-value materials 3. Site marked with ringed monoliths, made of granite or basalt, at least twice human height, marked with pictures 4. Subsurface markers included at at least three different levels The Rosetta Stone (196 BCE) ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Archaeologists’ recommendations: 1. Marking symbols in multiple languages 2. Structures constructed of natural, low-value materials Glass from Pompeii 3. Site marked with ringed monoliths, made of granite or basalt, at least twice human height, marked with pictures 4. Subsurface markers included at at least three different levels Looting, or “subsistence digging” ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Archaeologists’ recommendations: 1. Marking symbols in multiple languages 2. Structures constructed of natural, low-value materials 3. Site marked with ringed monoliths, made of granite or basalt, at least twice human height, marked with pictures Stonehenge (~5,000 years old) 4. Subsurface markers included at at least three different levels ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Archaeologists’ recommendations: 1. Marking symbols in multiple languages 2. Structures constructed of natural, low-value materials 3. Site marked with ringed monoliths, made of granite or basalt, at least twice human height, marked with pictures 4. Subsurface markers included at at least three different levels Erosion at archaeological site (Scotland) ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Archaeologists’ recommendations: 1. Marking symbols in multiple languages 2. Structures constructed of natural, low-value Do you think the archaeologists’ materials recommendations will be effective? 3. Site marked with ringed monoliths, made of granite or basalt, at least twice human height, marked with pictures 4. Subsurface markers included at at least three different levels ARCHAEOLOGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE Using knowledge of the past to inform and improve the future Box 1.2 … we would be more cautious regarding the possibility of maintaining or recovering “One of the biggest problems remaining includes information, knowledge and meaning over long how to mark the site so that people of the future timespans. The example of European megalithic will be able to understand the warnings. While tombs shows how people’s interpretations of archaeologists can be reasonably certain that their meanings and significance has changed monoliths and ceramic markers will withstand drastically over the circa 5000 years of their thousands of years of weathering and probably existence (Holtorf and Hogberg 2015) not be looted, establishing how to convey the information about the contents of the site and warnings is difficult. Language and symbols used today may be interpretable in a thousand years, but likely not in 10,000 years.” FILM Speakers for the Dead (2000) https://www-nfb-ca.ezproxy.langara.ca/film/speakers-for-the-dead/ 1. Durham Road Cemetery, and the area around it, is a place where history is contested. Describe the particular local history that residents disagree about. 2. What material evidence was there of the Black cemetery? Why was the material evidence important to those who were looking for it? 3. Some residents were in favour of excavation and some were against it. What argument did those who were against excavation make to justify their position? 4. Some people didn’t want the history of the Black cemetery to be known. What were their motivations (as suggested by the film)? 5. Why was it important for the Black descendent community to find their ancestors? NEXT WEEK Garbology! Read: “Garbology : The Archaeology of Fresh Garbage” (W.L. Rathje 2002) on Brightspace Reading Quiz #1: Chapter 1 – Situating Archaeology (end of first class of the week) Introduction of your term project