What is Archaeology?:What is Archaeology?:Studying Past CulturesStudying Past Cultures

What is Culture?What is Culture?Cultural Systems and Culture ProcessCultural Systems and Culture ProcessGoals of ArchaeologyGoals of ArchaeologyTheory in ArchaeologyTheory in Archaeology

  

Archaeologists?Archaeologists?

Basic ConceptsBasic Concepts

Fossils-Studied by Paleoanthropologists.Fossils-Studied by Paleoanthropologists.– Preserved remains of creatures from the past.Preserved remains of creatures from the past.

– They form when an organism dies, is buried, and over long They form when an organism dies, is buried, and over long periods of time the organic part decays and is replaced by periods of time the organic part decays and is replaced by minerals.minerals.

» i.e. bones form stone.i.e. bones form stone.

– Fossil localities are where fossils are found.Fossil localities are where fossils are found.

Archaeological sites-Studied by Archaeologists.Archaeological sites-Studied by Archaeologists.– Places of past human activity.Places of past human activity.

» large settlements with ceremonial centers.large settlements with ceremonial centers.

» small hunting camps.small hunting camps.

TermsTerms

Artifacts- Objects found and studied by Artifacts- Objects found and studied by archaeologists which have been made or modified by archaeologists which have been made or modified by humans.humans.– Stone tools, bone tools, pottery most common.Stone tools, bone tools, pottery most common.

Ecofacts- nonartifactual remains found at Ecofacts- nonartifactual remains found at archaeological sites, such as animals bones, shells, archaeological sites, such as animals bones, shells, plant remains.plant remains.– Generally provide ecological and subsistence information. Generally provide ecological and subsistence information.

Features- Nonmoveable artifacts such as hearths, pits Features- Nonmoveable artifacts such as hearths, pits or house floors. or house floors. – Can reveal information such as settlement and subsistence.Can reveal information such as settlement and subsistence.

ContextContext

An artifacts context is it's specific location where An artifacts context is it's specific location where it was found and how it relates to other artifacts it was found and how it relates to other artifacts around it.around it.– *i.e. A stone arrowhead is found with newspapers and *i.e. A stone arrowhead is found with newspapers and

plastic bottles, what would you conclude about the plastic bottles, what would you conclude about the arrowheads context?arrowheads context?

So a pot on its own may tell you how it was made So a pot on its own may tell you how it was made or what it was made from, but if it is removed or what it was made from, but if it is removed from its context archaeologists have no idea what from its context archaeologists have no idea what it was associated with.it was associated with.

Doing ArchaeologyDoing Archaeology

Locating SitesLocating Sites– Accident, Controlled Survey, Remote SensingAccident, Controlled Survey, Remote Sensing

Excavation Excavation – Horizontal, VerticalHorizontal, Vertical

Dating TechniquesDating Techniques– Carbon 14, DendrochronologyCarbon 14, Dendrochronology

Artifact AnalysisArtifact Analysis Site and Regional SynthesisSite and Regional Synthesis

Archaeology is AnthropologyArchaeology is Anthropology

Archaeology is anthropology or it is nothing.Archaeology is anthropology or it is nothing.– Collectors vs. ArchaeologistsCollectors vs. Archaeologists

» collectors are after artifacts for money or for personal collectors are after artifacts for money or for personal collections.collections.

» archaeologists are after knowledge.archaeologists are after knowledge.

Context is the most important thing to Context is the most important thing to archaeology.archaeology.– the time and space in which objects occur in the the time and space in which objects occur in the

ground. ground.

– systematic study of the past in this context.systematic study of the past in this context.

Types of archaeologyTypes of archaeology

Classical-use of written sources, Classical-use of written sources, architecture and art.architecture and art.

Historical-recent historic times, may be text Historical-recent historic times, may be text aided.aided.

Underwater archaeologists-study Underwater archaeologists-study waterlogged sites or artifacts with special waterlogged sites or artifacts with special techniques.techniques.

Prehistoric-cultures before written records.Prehistoric-cultures before written records. New World vs. Old WorldNew World vs. Old World

SpecialistsSpecialists

Research on particular artifacts or ecofacts.Research on particular artifacts or ecofacts. Zooarchaeologists-animal bones from archaeological sites.Zooarchaeologists-animal bones from archaeological sites. Lithic analysts-stone tools.Lithic analysts-stone tools. Paleoethnobotanists-botanical remains, domestication.Paleoethnobotanists-botanical remains, domestication. Bioarchaeologists-human remains.Bioarchaeologists-human remains. CeramicsCeramics MetalsMetals ArchitectureArchitecture WritingWriting Etc., etc.Etc., etc.

What is Culture?What is Culture? ““That complex whole which includes knowledge, That complex whole which includes knowledge,

belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a[person] as a capabilities and habits acquired by a[person] as a member of society” Edward Tylormember of society” Edward Tylor

Primary nonbiological means by which human Primary nonbiological means by which human societies adapt to and accomodate their environment.societies adapt to and accomodate their environment.

Culture is a society’s traditional system of beliefs Culture is a society’s traditional system of beliefs and behavior.and behavior.

What is the difference between human culture and What is the difference between human culture and animal societies?animal societies?

*i.e. when an animal dies, its experiences die with *i.e. when an animal dies, its experiences die with them. But what about primate societies?them. But what about primate societies?

Cultural SystemsCultural Systems

Cultural SystemsCultural Systems– A complex system comprising a set of interacting A complex system comprising a set of interacting

variables, including:variables, including:» toolstools» burial customsburial customs» subsistencesubsistence» religionreligion» social organizationsocial organization

– These elements function to maintain a communityThese elements function to maintain a community – When one element changes, others are effectedWhen one element changes, others are effected

How do we study Cultural Systems in How do we study Cultural Systems in Archaeology?Archaeology?

ToolsTools

Burial CustomsBurial Customs

ReligionReligion

Social OrganizationSocial Organization

Culture ProcessCulture Process

Processes by which human societies Processes by which human societies changed in the past.changed in the past.

Culture change was generally slow and Culture change was generally slow and gradual.gradual.

Primary Processes:Primary Processes: – InventionInvention– DiffusionDiffusion– MigrationMigration

Cultural EvolutionCultural Evolution

Prestate SocietiesPrestate Societies– BandsBands– TribesTribes– ChiefdomsChiefdoms

State-Organized SocietiesState-Organized Societies

The Goals of ArchaeologyThe Goals of Archaeology

Four Goals of ArchaeologyFour Goals of Archaeology– Studying Culture HistoryStudying Culture History– Reconstructing Past LifewaysReconstructing Past Lifeways– Explaining Culture ChangeExplaining Culture Change– Making Archaeology Relevant to the PresentMaking Archaeology Relevant to the Present

Studying Culture HistoryStudying Culture History

North AmericaNorth America Paleoindian (15-10 kya)Paleoindian (15-10 kya) Archaic (10-3 kya)Archaic (10-3 kya) Woodland (3-1 kya)Woodland (3-1 kya) Mississippian (1kya-500ya)Mississippian (1kya-500ya)

Old World (Europe/Africa)Old World (Europe/Africa) Paleolithic (2 mya-10 kya)Paleolithic (2 mya-10 kya) Mesolithic (10 kya-6 kya)Mesolithic (10 kya-6 kya) Neolithic (6 kya-4 kya)Neolithic (6 kya-4 kya) Bronze Age (4 kya-2.5 kya)Bronze Age (4 kya-2.5 kya) Iron Age (2.5 kya--)Iron Age (2.5 kya--)

Reconstructing Past LifewaysReconstructing Past Lifeways

Flintknapping-Making Stone Tools

http://www.dec.ny.gov/images/administration_images/0807flintknap.jpg

Explaining Culture ChangeExplaining Culture Change

The Bixby Homesite: 1800-1845 The actual household objects of the Bixby house, the house itself with its outbuildings, and the surrounding New England landscape illustrate clearly the changes in societyand in work in the first half of the 19th century.

Archaeology & Relevance to the PresentArchaeology & Relevance to the Present

Paleopathology: A 20,000-Skeleton Perspective The diagnosis of various pathologies is a major tool for both archaeology and medicine. This setillustrates disease phenomena which are reproducible across geographic and even species lines. The antiquity of one disease -- rheumatoid arthritis -- varies geographically, possible evidence for its origin as vector-transmitted and for speculation about human behavior.

Theory in ArchaeologyTheory in Archaeology

Cultural-HistoricalCultural-Historical – ChronologyChronology– Artifact TypologyArtifact Typology

ProcessualProcessual – BehaviorBehavior– Experimental ArchaeologyExperimental Archaeology

Post-processualPost-processual – IdeologicalIdeological– ReligionReligion– SymbolismSymbolism

Culture History-PotteryCulture History-Pottery

Processual-EthnoarchaeologyProcessual-Ethnoarchaeology

Ethnoarchaeology of the Kalinga View of Dangtalan looking north. The irrigated fields border the village on the east, west, and south. Notice the variability in house sizes as well as construction materials (e.g., thatch vs. corrugated iron sheets for the roofs).

Post-Processual-ImageryPost-Processual-Imagery

Chichen Itza- The player on the left holds the severed head of the defeated player on the right. From the trunk spouts blood in the form of seven serpents. In the center is the ball.