Exploring Archaeology (7-11) Exam 2
Typology - ANS-The systematic arrangement of material culture into types.
Patterns in FORM (other) through SPACE and TIME (Space-time systematics)
Space-time systematics - ANS-- The delineation of patterns in material culture through
time and over space. These patterns are what the archaeologist will eventually try to
explain or account for.
- Patterns in FORM (typology) through SPACE and TIME (other)
Type - ANS-A class of archaeological artifacts defined by a consistent clustering of
attributes.
Morphological type - ANS-A descriptive and abstract grouping of individual artifacts
whose focus is on overall similarity rather than function or chronological significance.
Temporal type - ANS-A morphological type that has temporal significance; also known
as a time-marker or index fossil.
Functional type - ANS-A class of artifacts that performed the same function; these may
or may not be temporal and/or morphological types.
How did people use the pottery?
- Water jars
- Cooking pots
- Serving bowls - ANS-Functional Type: Based on function
How did pottery styles change over time?
- Orange
- Black
- Red - ANS-Morphological Type: Based on structural features such as size, shape, and
color
How did pottery styles change over time?
- Orange
- Black
- Red
,- > Seriation (arranged or occurring in one or more series) - ANS-Temporal Type: Tied
to a specific period of time
- Index Fossil
- Time-marker
How to make a typology - ANS-1. Define your goal/ question
2. Choose your sorting criteria
3. Define your attributes
4. Separate your objects into types
How to make a typology
1. Define your goal/ question - ANS-Estimate the age of surface assemblages
How to make a typology
2. Choose your sorting criteria - ANS-Size and Shape
How to make a typology
3. Define your attributes - ANS-Attributes
Size: Total length, weight
Shape: Notch presence, angle
How to make a typology
4. Separate your objects into types - ANS-What type of type?
- Rosegate
- Elko Corner-notched
- Gatecliff Contacting Stem
Mousterian - ANS-A culture from the Middle Paleolithic ("Middle Old Stone Age") period
that appeared throughout Europe after 250,000 and before 30,000 years ago.
Mousterian artifacts are frequently associated with Neanderthal human remains.
Archaeological culture - ANS-A regional manifestation within a culture area marked by a
particular set of material culture traits.
Period - ANS-- A length of time distinguished by particular items of material culture,
such as house form, pottery, or subsistence.
- Multiple phases held together by broad similarities
, Phase - ANS-- An archaeological construct possessing traits sufficiently characteristic to
distinguish it from other units similarly conceived; spatially limited to roughly a locality or
region and chronologically limited to the briefest interval of time possible.
- Similar components manifested at more than one site
Component - ANS-- An archaeological construct consisting of a stratum or set of strata
that are presumed to be culturally homogeneous. A set of components from various
sites in a region will make up a phase.
- site-specific
- single occupation
Assemblage - ANS-A collection of artifacts of one or several classes of materials (stone
tools, ceramics, bones) that comes from a defined context, such as a site, feature, or
stratum.
Classification - ANS-Grouping things according to shared qualities or characteristics
Low Level Theory - ANS-- Data generated from observations (e.g., recording attributes)
- Example Question: What kinds of flaked stone tools occur at this site?
Middle Level Theory - ANS-- Links data to past human behavior or natural processes
- Example Question: How did individuals at this site hunt food?
High Level Theory - ANS-- Links understandings of past human behavior or natural
processes to explain broader questions concerning the human condition
- Example Question: Why do some hunter-gatherers not take up agriculture?
Conceptual Toolkit for Middle-Level Research - ANS-TOOLS
- If... then... statements (bridging arguments)
- Principle of uniformitarianism
- Analogies
APPROACHES
- Taphonomy
- Experimental archaeology
- Ethnoarchaeology
Principle of uniformitarianism - ANS-- The principle asserting that the processes now
operating to modify the earth's surface are the same processes that operated
throughout geological time.
- Concept originating in geology
Typology - ANS-The systematic arrangement of material culture into types.
Patterns in FORM (other) through SPACE and TIME (Space-time systematics)
Space-time systematics - ANS-- The delineation of patterns in material culture through
time and over space. These patterns are what the archaeologist will eventually try to
explain or account for.
- Patterns in FORM (typology) through SPACE and TIME (other)
Type - ANS-A class of archaeological artifacts defined by a consistent clustering of
attributes.
Morphological type - ANS-A descriptive and abstract grouping of individual artifacts
whose focus is on overall similarity rather than function or chronological significance.
Temporal type - ANS-A morphological type that has temporal significance; also known
as a time-marker or index fossil.
Functional type - ANS-A class of artifacts that performed the same function; these may
or may not be temporal and/or morphological types.
How did people use the pottery?
- Water jars
- Cooking pots
- Serving bowls - ANS-Functional Type: Based on function
How did pottery styles change over time?
- Orange
- Black
- Red - ANS-Morphological Type: Based on structural features such as size, shape, and
color
How did pottery styles change over time?
- Orange
- Black
- Red
,- > Seriation (arranged or occurring in one or more series) - ANS-Temporal Type: Tied
to a specific period of time
- Index Fossil
- Time-marker
How to make a typology - ANS-1. Define your goal/ question
2. Choose your sorting criteria
3. Define your attributes
4. Separate your objects into types
How to make a typology
1. Define your goal/ question - ANS-Estimate the age of surface assemblages
How to make a typology
2. Choose your sorting criteria - ANS-Size and Shape
How to make a typology
3. Define your attributes - ANS-Attributes
Size: Total length, weight
Shape: Notch presence, angle
How to make a typology
4. Separate your objects into types - ANS-What type of type?
- Rosegate
- Elko Corner-notched
- Gatecliff Contacting Stem
Mousterian - ANS-A culture from the Middle Paleolithic ("Middle Old Stone Age") period
that appeared throughout Europe after 250,000 and before 30,000 years ago.
Mousterian artifacts are frequently associated with Neanderthal human remains.
Archaeological culture - ANS-A regional manifestation within a culture area marked by a
particular set of material culture traits.
Period - ANS-- A length of time distinguished by particular items of material culture,
such as house form, pottery, or subsistence.
- Multiple phases held together by broad similarities
, Phase - ANS-- An archaeological construct possessing traits sufficiently characteristic to
distinguish it from other units similarly conceived; spatially limited to roughly a locality or
region and chronologically limited to the briefest interval of time possible.
- Similar components manifested at more than one site
Component - ANS-- An archaeological construct consisting of a stratum or set of strata
that are presumed to be culturally homogeneous. A set of components from various
sites in a region will make up a phase.
- site-specific
- single occupation
Assemblage - ANS-A collection of artifacts of one or several classes of materials (stone
tools, ceramics, bones) that comes from a defined context, such as a site, feature, or
stratum.
Classification - ANS-Grouping things according to shared qualities or characteristics
Low Level Theory - ANS-- Data generated from observations (e.g., recording attributes)
- Example Question: What kinds of flaked stone tools occur at this site?
Middle Level Theory - ANS-- Links data to past human behavior or natural processes
- Example Question: How did individuals at this site hunt food?
High Level Theory - ANS-- Links understandings of past human behavior or natural
processes to explain broader questions concerning the human condition
- Example Question: Why do some hunter-gatherers not take up agriculture?
Conceptual Toolkit for Middle-Level Research - ANS-TOOLS
- If... then... statements (bridging arguments)
- Principle of uniformitarianism
- Analogies
APPROACHES
- Taphonomy
- Experimental archaeology
- Ethnoarchaeology
Principle of uniformitarianism - ANS-- The principle asserting that the processes now
operating to modify the earth's surface are the same processes that operated
throughout geological time.
- Concept originating in geology
