Archaeology

What is Archaeology? One of 4 sub-fields

Anthropology

Study of ancient cultures through material remains Artifacts

Aims to explain origins & development of human culture

“Speak to the earth and it shall teach thee”

Why is Archaeology Important?

“History is to society as memory is to the individual.”

Importance:Provides a means to learn about our past

○ True for cultures with and without any written history

“History will be kind to me because I intend to write it” ~Winston Churchill

CAN YOU DETERMINE WHERE THE FOLLOWING

ARTIFACTS COME FROM?

http://americanhistory.si.edu/september11/collection/supporting.asp?ID=337

http://americanhistory.si.edu/september11/collection/supporting.asp?ID=273

http://americanhistory.si.edu/september11/collection/supporting.asp?ID=98

http://americanhistory.si.edu/september11/collection/supporting.asp?ID=517

http://americanhistory.si.edu/september11/collection/supporting.asp?ID=61

WHAT IS IT?

How Archaeologists Conduct Research

1) Survey Site

2) Excavation Step 1: Remove top soil

Step 2: Site plan

Step 3: Study artifacts

Dating Methods: Absolute vs. Relative

Absolute Dating Dendrochronology

Carbon 14

Potassium-argon

Thermoluminescence

Relative Dating: Determining the Order of Events

Law of Horizontality Layers form horizontally

Law of Superposition Oldest on bottom;

Youngest on top

Law of Association Objects in same layer =

same age

GarbologyWilliam Rathje

Which Character Represents the Best Possible Way to Uncover the Past?

The Ark of the Covenant