Anthropology Terms

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Absolute dating method

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dating methods that provide dates in calendar years, usually expressed as years before present (B.P.)

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Relative dating method

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dating methods that do not provide dates in calendar years that can be used to determine whether two sites are the same age or whether one site is older or younger than another.

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Radiocarbon date range

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a method for dating organic materials based on the decay of a radioactive isotope of carbon, (14C). date range is 50 years.

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Ground reconnaissance

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Reconnaissance is part of the third stage (data gathering) of archaeological research design. A collective name for a wide variety of methods for identifying individual archaeological sites, including consultation of documentary sources, place-name evidence, local folklore, and legend, but primarily actual fieldwork.

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Ethnoarchaeology

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the study of the behavior of modern peoples and the material remains of that behavior.

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Carrying capacity

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the maximum population size that an environment can support using a particular technology

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Projectile points

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Arrowheads

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Four sub-diciplines of anthropology

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Cultural Anthropology
Biological or Physical Anthropology
Linguistic Anthropology
Archaeology

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NAGPRA

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the Native American Graves protection and Repatriation Act, which requires that Native American human remains, ceremonial objects, and objects of culture patrimony be returned to the Native American tribes

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Zooarchaeology

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the study of animal remains, primarily bone and shell, recovered from archaeological sites.

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Acheulian Industry

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named after the type site at Saint-Acheul, a suburb of Amiens in northern France, where the industry was first decribed. the handaxe is the hallmark of the Acheulian industry.

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Consistency over time

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Acheulian industry remained virtually unchanged from 1.7 million to 250,000 y.a.

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Geographic radiation

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Acheulian have been found in Africa, Western Europe, and much of West Asia

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artifacts

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Acheulian handaxe, Hearths,

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Percussion

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marks that result from the use of a hammer stone to break open a bone for marrow extractions

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Pressure flaking

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a method of stone knapping by which pressure is applied to the edge of a stone tool, usually with a slaker made of wood, or bone, in order to detach a small, flat flake.

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Rock tyes for tool making

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flint, basalt, obsidian (not 100% sure if H. erectus used obsidian though...)

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Blades

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A long. narrow stone flake with parallel sides. Blades are generally twice as ong as they are wide.

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Striking platform

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The point near the edge of a stone core that is struck to remove a flake

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Microliths

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a very small tool, often hafted or used as a barb for an arrowhead. a composite tool.

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Katanda site in Zaire

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the site contained a series of finely worked bone points, amny with barbs along one or both edges. (they resemble european upper paleleolithic of 15,000 yrs. ago. (dated at 90,000 yr) amounts of fish found at the site.

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Neanderthals

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a sub-species, an archaic form of Homo Sapiens found in Europe and the Middle East between about 200,000 and 40,000 years ago. The Neanderthals are characterized by massive brow ridges, sloping foreheads, long, low skulls, and the absence of a chin, also possers of a Mousterian culture. Neanderthals diet consisted mostly of animal foods. hunted and gathered their food.

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Burials

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No sign of Middle paleolithic show burials. Neanderthals are far more complete and common. Burials were also made in caves to protect from scavengers. the burials were not for rituals but merely a corpse disposal.

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Theories on Extinction

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competed by modern H. sapiens or killed by them

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Lapedo Child

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a skeleton from portugal of a four-year-old child dated to 24,000 years ago. the skeleton shows morphological features of both modern humans and Neanderthals. some anthropologists think the shild is a hybrid. the child even had short lower limbs.

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Mousterian Industry

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a term used to describe the Middle paleolithic (200,000 to 40,000 years ago) industries of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. These industries are named for the type site of Le Moustier in southwestern France.

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Date of discovery of Neanderthals

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the initial discovery of Neanderthal fossils were 150 years ago. the discovery of neanderthals started in 1830 in the Engis cave in Belgium.

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Health

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Not great -- extremely robust body type, but periodontal disease, osteoarthritis, lots of broken bones like rodeo riders, most died in 30's (but evidence of care and empathy)

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seperate species vs. subspecies debate

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This is the same as "species or sub". Some think that the nomenclature should be Homo neandertalis (i.e. separate species), some think that the nomenclature should be Homo sapiens neandertalis (i.e. sub-species and able to interbreed with us) -- recent DNA evidence suggests the former.

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Cave paintings

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Are known from southwestern France, nothern Spain, and the pyrenean region. the cave of Altamira was a depiction of a painted Bison.

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Lascaux Cave

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The Lascaux Cave is most significant, it had paintings of horses, cattle, and other animals painted on the wall. the cave was a major tourist attraction that that threatened its images because of dust, dampness, and touching.

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Chauvet cave

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located in France. revealed an unusual range of Ice Age images. the chauvet included depictions of whooly rhinos and carnivores such as cave bears and cave lions. these depictions make up 60% of the images from Grotte Chauvet. the dates of the paintings range from 32,500 to 30,500. the dates were based on charcoal fragments.

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Female Figurines

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Carved stone female figurine known as "the venus of Willendorf"" located in Australia , approximately 11 cm in height. the sculptures were often depicted with protruding breast and buttocks. and date from 28,000 to 22,000 years ago.

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Namibia jewelry

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perforated egg shells, oldest example of art

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Upper Paleolithic date range

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40,000 to 10,000 years ago

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Potsherd

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A broken pottery fragment, especially one of archaeological value.

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Jomon Culture

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"Jomon" means "rope pattern" in Japanese. Pottery vessels crafted in ancient Japan during Jomon period are generally accepted to be the oldest in the world -- 16,000 years b.p. (i.e. before present = 14,000 years b.c.)

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Planned burning

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????

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Tybrid Vig

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a Danish mesolithic settlement. occupied between 5500 to 4000 b.c. the site is located underwater. waterlogged conditions at Tybrid Vig are ideal for the preservation of wood.

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Population estimates

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no population estimates, but there wer cemetaries found at the site

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Factors of civilization

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their population used fishing as a means of marine food. also, they had wooden dugout boats and paddles. as population increased it led a a degree of social inequality.

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Jericho artifacts

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Enimatic stone tower, small quantities of domesticated emmer wheat and barley.

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Jericho technology

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farming and domestication

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Fertile Crescent location

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located in Mesopotamia

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Wall (cave) art

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most figures are naturalistic representations of animals, including horses, wild cattle, bison, ibex, reindeer, mammoths, whooly rhinos, birds, fish, and occasional cave lions

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Portable art

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small, decorated objects were commonly made of antler, stone, ivory, and bone. Animals are often represented in mobiliary art, appearing as decorations on spear throwers and other items that would have been used for an extended period of time.