Culture

Anything we do as humans that is not inherited

Synchronic

a specific point in time

form over space

Diachronic

How things happen through time

Comparative-form over time

Anthropology

Study of contemporary cultures

PhysicalBiological Anthropology

Study of human body as an organism.

Linguistic Anth.

Study of language(s)

Cultural Anth.

Study of contemporary cultures/human activity

Ethnography

a specific cultureal group

Ethnology

Cross cultural contemporary groups

Ethnohistory

oral/recorded history to learn about the past

Archaeology

Study of the material remains of humans

Cultural Relativism

Everyones cultural beliefs are valid, and should be understood within the context of their culture.

Ethnocentrism

The belief that ones culture is better than others

Focus of Anthropology

Cultures- political, sociological,religious etc... systems

4 principal goals of Anthropology

Reveal Form- physical evidence

Discover function- analyze form/interelatedness

Cultural Process- how and why things change through time

Derive Meaning-induction/deduction

Archeaology vs. History

Material remains vs. written/oral accounts

Types of Archaeology

Biblical- study of the bible

Classical- Greek/Roman

Prehistoric-Ancient

Myths and Moundbuilders

Artifact interpretation based on our own cultural ideals.

Ephraim Squire/ Davies-mounds work of lost race.Not Native

Lost Race, vikings, supermen etc..

1830's-Samuel Morton-skull measurements, natives killed builders-

Lost Race justified racism

1840's- Survey Chilicothe- Squire/Davies 

some excavation mostly map/survey.

Surveys accurate/classification false

1500's French/Spanish accounts dispute this.

Witnessed occupation of mounds by natives is south

1879- Gov't $5000 to solve mound mystery.

Thomas Faulk. Stone coffins/graves confirmed Natives built them.

1879- Gov't $5000 to solve mound mystery.

Thomas Faulk. Stone coffins/graves confirmed Natives built them.

Mound builders - Many different native cultures

Two types-

Hopewell Ohio/Illinois- conical

Mississippian- Square/flat for living chiefs.

Hopewell. 2000 yrs. ago-

Metalwork, pottery, mica, obsidian,pearls,and shells.

Large trade network- Colorado/obsidian- Gulf Coast-pearls

Mounds-

High Status- in center mound

Middle class- around center

Low status- around mound

Healthy until 700-800 A>D

imported corn from Central America. 

Increased productivity=increased migration

Tooth decay/dntal health

Decreased meat eating

More susceptible to tb

600-900 A.D. creativity slows

Mississippian Mounds Cuyhoke

50,000 people

Elite- jewelry/ceremonial axes

Control through access to Maize

Peaked 12th/13th century

Spanish arrived

1800's-

Darwin- Origin of Species

Railroad

C.J. Thompson- 3 age system-stone,bronze, iron

allows people to contrast/compare

Railroad- reveals strata full of bones

William Flinders Petrie

Late 19th-early 20th

Grandfather of Archaeology/Egyptologist

crowdfunding for artifacts

Provenience- Where things are found

"little things"- Military Engneer(British)

Survey/Dimensionally accurate record

1920's- Sir Mortimer Wheeler

Grid square survey allows relative loci to other artifacts onsite

1st Half 20th Century-

Developing cultural histories/trait lists, chronologies,typologies.

Dating sites relative to eachother.

1st Half 20th Century-

Developing cultural histories/trait lists, chronologies,typologies.

Dating sites relative to eachother.

Post WW2-

Empasis on interdisciplinary approach

Braidwood-Origins of agriculture

Where,when,how we became farmers

1949 William Libby

University of Chicago

Radiocarbon Dating

Frees us from chronologies

Science/Process

Archaeology as Science

Undergrads under Braidwood

Lewis Bimford- U of M

collects new data on old finds/ destroys theories

Archaeology should be explanatory not just descriptive

Processes/Hypotheses

Postprocessual Arch.

Ian Holder

Not just about data/Individual actors have major impact

people unpredictable

Interpretive Arch

Agent based Arch

Processual Plus-Processual+Post Processual

Considers Scientific and Cultural evidence

Goals of Archaeology

Culturaal Chronolgy- cultures through time

Reconstruct Past Lifeways- How, what,where

Define Cultural Process- 

Acqusition

Manufacture

Use

Disposal

Scientific Method

1. Make Objective-unbiased observations, identify problem

2. Induce/generalize How observed phenomema came to be.

3. Test Hypotheses- Deductive reasoning, If/Then 

4. Evaluate original Hypothesis

Archaeological Context

Matrix- that which an artifact is found in.

Provenience- It's location in the Matrix in 3D space

Association- Occurance together in relation to other artifacts. 

Primary Context: Original place of deposition. INSITU

Secondary Context:Due to natural/cultural transformations.

Archaeological Record

Artifacts through time and relationship

Scale

levels of discovery,analysis, geographical/chronological

Assemblages

Set of related artifacts/all things found

Site assemblage

Lithic assemblage

Ceramic assemblage

Component

Assemblage from a single layer, living floor, or  occupation level

-single component, single use

-multi-component, multi-use

Ground Reconnaissance

Documentary sources, place/name evidence, Books/stories

Surface Survey

Walking the site

Sub-Surface

Shovel Testing or Remote Sensin

Remote Sensing

Resistivity-measures resistence of electrical current

Ground Penetrating Radar-

Electromagnetic waves reflected as echoes. Measures ground densities.

Magnetometer- Discerns variations in the magnetism present in any material/anomalies.

Ground Truthing- Results, then testing.

Aerial Reconnaissance

Lidar, Satellite, photo-grammetry

Archaeological Excavation Goals

Revealing/recording CONTEXT

Reveal physical structure,artifacts, ecofacts,feature

Asess function, temporal signifigance of patterns.

Datum

Records fixed known location to Grid

Provenience is recorded

Vertical/Horizontal Datum

Vertical Datum

Small horizontal holes to deposit

Diachronic-sequence of layers over time

Horizontal Excavation

Large horizontal holes to bottom of deposit

Synchronic-Spatial distribution of artifacts in one specific period of time.

Law of Association-Same layer/same time period

Law of Superposition- oldest on bottom/youngest on top

Seriation-

In a series or succession

William Petries Battleship Curve

Terminus Post Quem

Earliest possible date something can exist

Radiometric Dating

Determines age of rocks by measuring their relative proportions of radioactive isotopes

Carbon 14 Dating

Measures the half life (5730 yrs.)

of C-14 

provides a date of B>P -1950