Archaeology 3 And 4

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4 components of a site

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matrix, provenience, association, context

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The physical medium that surrounds, holds, and supports the archaeological soil (e.g., soil)

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matrix

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The three dimensional location (horizontal and vertical) position at which the archaeologist finds data

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provenience

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Refers to two or more archaeological items (artifacts, ecofacts, or features) occurring together, usually in the same matrix

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Association

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Characteristics of archaeological data that result from combined behavioral and transformational processes

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context

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The matrix and the provenience of a site have not been disturbed since deposition (en situ)

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primary context

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The matrix, provenience, and association have been altered, in whole or in part, by transformational processes

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secondary context

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2 categories of primary context

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use related, transposed

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2 categories of secondary context

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use-related, natural

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Archaeologists look for...

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patterns in the remains found in order to draw inferences about humans and human behavior

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The act of passing from statistical sample data to generalizations

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inference

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inference relies on 2 factors

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spatial clustering, comparisons of functional characteristics

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features, artifacts, or ecofacts that are not associated with anything else, and nothing can be said about the behaviors that led to its deposition

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isolated finds

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Applied archaeology

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Using information gathered from a site to apply to contemporary society/a broader audience. Overall goal is to do something that is relevant to today.

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____ is/are always done prior to excavation

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surveys

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Need to know whether there’s something there, a type of survey

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feasibility study

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2 levels of analysis in archaeological survey

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region, site

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Purpose of surveying region

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locate sites, map, determine types

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purpose of surveying site is to determine...

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size, age, function

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A comprehensive search for documentary information regarding the site or region you are interested in

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lit review

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on the ground inspection of a site or region

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ground-proofing

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Walk or drive along and look at the ground

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pedestrian/vehicular survey

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Consists of physically removing small soil samples in order to identify archeological sites or the nature of archaeological deposits

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subsurface testing

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___ is done in areas of high visibility

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pedestrian/vehicular survey

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___ is done in areas of low visibility

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subsurface testing

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pedestrian/vehicular survey determines

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site locations

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subsurface testing determines

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size, function, extent of occupation

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3 tools used

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auger, soil probe, shovel

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Methods for identifying difficult to see or completely hidden/buried archaeological remains without physical disturbance

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remote sensing

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Identify sites from air or space

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aerial/satellite remote sensing

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satellite imagery primarily used in...

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production of large site maps and larger regional mapping

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Can penetrate dense cloud cover and penetrate trees, but really only good for IDing large archaeological features

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SLAR or SAR

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Thumping the ground and listening for acoustic differences

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bowsing

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Discerns major variations in the magnetism present in materials found in the ground

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magnetometer

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Measure the flow of electrical current from one point to another in the ground

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resistivity

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Used in the ID of subsurface sites based on the measurement of electromagnetic differences in the ground

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ground penetrating radar

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Based on assumptions of greater or lesser likelihood

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non-probabilistic sampling

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Ignores assumptions of greater or lesser likelihood

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probabilistic sampling

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2 types of grid systems

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quadrat, spot

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An arbitrary sample unit defined as a square of a specific size

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quadrat

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An arbitrary sample unit defined by geographical coordinates

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spot

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probabilistic sampling based on ______ or ______ systems

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arbitrary grid, transect

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An arbitrary sample unit defined as a linear corridor of uniform specified width

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transect system

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Each sample unit has a statistically = chance of selection

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simple random sampling

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The first sample unit is selected at random, and all other units are selected by a predetermined interval from the first

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systematic sampling

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In cases where your sample area has a geographic or some other form of physical division, you may choose to separate the area into discrete units based on these divisions and sample each division equally

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stratified sampling

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The primary means by which the archaeologist gathers data about the past

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excavation

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goals of excavation

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to reveal 3-d patterning among things uncovered, to assess significance (functional, temporal) of that pattern

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The evaluation of temporal (formation) and depositional (transformation) meaning of observed strata

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stratigraphy

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the observed layering of matrices and features

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strata

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i. The geological principle that the sequence of observable layers, from bottom to top, reflects the order of deposition, from earliest to latest

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law of superposition

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In doing stratigraphic analysis you must be concerned with...

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...transformational processes

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examples of false stratigraphy

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tree roots and rodent burrows

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The intrusion of one or more archaeological features into pre-existing features

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intrusive feature

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Occurs as particulates like silt, clay, and dirt settle down out of water

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deposition

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Occurs as particulates are removed either by filtering of water through an already deposited matrix or by flood events that wash the matrix away

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deflation

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Water that flows through the ground

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aquifer

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4 sub-types of vertical excavations

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test pit, sounding pit, trench, tunnel

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vertical excavations reveal ____ and ____ dimensions

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vertical, temporal

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multiple test pits reveal _____ and _____ dimensions

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size, functional

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Used primarily to probe depth of sub-surface archaeological deposits at a site

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test pit

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An initial test pit placed so as to preview what lies beneath the ground

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sounding pit

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A long narrow excavation

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trench

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a trench reveals the ____ and _____ dimensions of a site

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vertical, horizontal

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An excavation that follows buried strata or features along one horizontal dimension

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tunnel

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Often used in excavations at large mounds and temples as a means of determining what’s inside without destroying the entire feature

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tunnel

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2 types of horixontal excavations

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area excavations, stripping excavations

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I. Designed to systematically expose the horizontal extent of data while preserving the stratigraphic information in balks left between excavation units

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area excavations

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horizontal excavations reveal the ____ and ____ dimensions

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horizontal, functional

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A portion of the matrix left unexcavated at the corners (pillar) or sides (wall) of multiple adjoining excavation units

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balk

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Same as area excavations except that balks are not preserved

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stripping excavations

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Fixed intervals (e.g., 5 or 10 cm) that ignore natural or cultural levels

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arbitrary levels of soil removal

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Excavation levels are defined by naturally formed soil strata

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natural levels of soil removal

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Excavation levels are defined by strata formed by human activity (midden layers, floors, etc.)

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cultural levels of of soil removal

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2 types of maps

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site map, plan view

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A comprehensive overview of the site at any given time

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site map

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A comprehensive overview of a single excavation unit at any given time

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plan view

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Comprehensive drawings of the side of an excavation unit

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profiles

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Detailed drawings that document the 3 dimensional placement of artifacts, ecofacts, etc. in an excavation unit

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piece plots

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Black and white or color photos of excavation units that are meant to supplement plan views and profiles

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photographs

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A set of strategies for arriving at accurate descriptions of the range of archaeological material across a landscape

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systematic regional survey

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Hunter-gatherers’ pattern of movement between different places on the landscape timed to the seasonal availability of food and other resources

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seasonal round

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created a map of the seasonal round of the Western Shoshone people

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Julian Steward

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the distribution of archaeological sites across a region

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settlement pattern

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the movements and activities reconstructed from a settlement pattern

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settlement system

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A fist-sized, round, flat, hand-held stone used with a metate for grinding foods

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manos

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A large, flat stone used as a stationary surface upon which seeds, tubers, and nuts are ground with a mano

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metate

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the principles that underlie sampling strategies that provide accurate measures of a statistical population

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statistical sampling

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A set of counts, measurements, or characteristics about which relevant inquiries are to be made

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statistical population

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define _______ to acquire a statistical sample

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statistical population

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Observations made on objects

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data

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The region that contains the statistical population and that will be sampled. Its size and shape are determined by the research question and practical considerations

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sample universe

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the percentage of the sample universe that is surveyed.

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sample fraction

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Areas with a lot of variability in archaeological remains require larger...

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...sample fractions

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survey units of a standard size and shape, determined by the research question and practical considerations, used to obtain the sample

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sample units

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gives exact coordinates to any place in the world

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UTM grid

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A survey universe divided into several sub-universes that are then sampled at potentially different sample fractions

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stratified random sample

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A conical structure made of poles or logs laid against one another that served as fall and winter homes among the prehistoric Shoshone and Paiute

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wickiup

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A unique catalog number given to sites; it consists of a number (the state’s position alphabetically), a letter abbreviation of the county, and the site’s sequential number within the county

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Smithsonian number

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A geologic process whereby fine sediment is blown away by the wind and larger items (including artifacts) are lowered onto a common surface and thus become recognizable sites

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deflation

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A device that uses a beam of light bounced off a prism to determine an artifact’s provenience

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total station

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Analysis of archaeological patterns manifested on a scale of kilometers and hectares, rather than of patterns within a single site

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non-site archaeology

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Focuses on regional patterns of artifacts

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non-site archaeology

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A computer program for storing, retrieving, analyzing, and displaying cartographic data

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geographic information systems

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Data that are input to a GIS database using a common mapping reference so that all data can be spatially analyzed

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georeferenced

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Good predictive model uses...

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...fewest number of variables

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The study of ancient human modification of the environment

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landscape archaeology