ANT 240 – Comprehensive Final Exam Guide With Verified Answers on Archaeological Theory, Ethnoarchaeology, and Taphonomy

Description: This ANT 240 document compiles verified final exam questions and answers on archaeological theory and practice. It emphasizes processual and post processual archaeology, middle-level theory, ethnoarchaeology, experimental archaeology, and taphonomic studies. Students gain insight into how archaeology. archaeologists interpret cultural patterns, behavior, and material remains through analogies and experiments. An essential resource for final exam success in How do we get from the archaeological record to data? - answer- Low level theory: transforming observation into interpretation in the field and lab. - Hearth, midden/trash heap, pottery type. How do we get from the data to human behavior? - answerHow can we connect statics to dynamics? - Archaeological record (dead, unmoving). - Human behavior (living). Processual archaeology's answer: middle-level theory. Trying to establish necessary links between behavior and the patterned remains it produces. Why aren't the behaviors that produced the archaeological record just obvious? - answerMultiple behaviors can produce very similar archaeological resorts. Why are upper long bones often missing in animal Page | 2 bone assemblages from residential sites? - answer- Neolithic Turkey: Because people are "schlepping" only the best cuts of meat home, leaving heavier bone elements at the kill site. - 9th Century Saxon England: Because the best cuts (haunches) are being transported to the market on the bone. - North American Plains: Because long bones are being pulverized to remove nutritious bone grease. How do we determine what the material consequences of certain behaviors are? - answerIf human beings were butchering antelopes... then we should expect the bone assemblage to exhibit the following characteristics. So how do we know what characteristics the bone assemblage should exhibit? - answerWe have to observe culture in its systemic context. Producing patterning in material culture in its archaeological context. What are you doing when you make inferences about ancient behaviors using modern behaviors? - answer- Arrowhead looks like other arrowhead, so it's the result of the same behavior. - Kivas looks like another structure, so they have the same function. What are you doing when you make inferences about ancient behaviors using modern behaviors? - answerMaking an analogy. But not all analogies are created equal! - answer- Formal analogy. Similarity in form (or morphological attributes) between archaeological and modern examples. Similarity in function. - Relational analogy. Objects/artifacts/architecture etc. must have formal similarities, must come from cultures that are related. Through similar environments, settlement patterns, economies. Or through historical relationship (descendant cultures). middle-level theory - answer- Trying to establish necessary links between behavior and patterned remains. - Key feature: