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Archaeology
For questions on the theory, method, and practice of studying past cultures and peoples.
1,920 Questions
What did scientists learn from the icemans copper ax?
Scientists learned that the iceman's copper ax was made using advanced metalworking techniques for its time, suggesting a sophisticated level of technology. The analysis of the ax also provided insight into the trade and exchange networks of the Copper Age, as the copper used in the ax was not local to the region where the iceman was found.
Why are oil and natural gas considered nonrenewable?
Oil and natural gas are considered nonrenewable resources because they were formed over millions of years from the remains of ancient plants and animals. The rate at which they are extracted and consumed is much faster than the rate at which they are naturally replenished, making them finite resources. Once these reserves are depleted, they cannot be easily replaced within a human timescale.
What absolute dating technique has been used to calibrate radiocarbon dates?
Dendrochronology, or tree-ring dating, has been used to calibrate radiocarbon dates. By matching the pattern of tree rings in an archaeological sample with a master chronology, scientists can improve the accuracy of radiocarbon dates.
Modern artifacts are objects or items created or used in contemporary times that hold cultural, historical, or artistic significance. They can include technology, fashion accessories, artwork, documents, and other items that represent the current era's beliefs, values, and customs.
What did early people bury the dead with?
Not sure if you are asking, a) what tools they used, or b) what was interred with the deceased.
For a), Whatever was available at the time, such as flint or antler picks.
For b), That depended on the particular society but many buried their dead with grave-goods of one sort or another such as hunting-weapons, jewellery etc. It's often assumed these items were for use in whatever "afterlife" was held to exist by that society, but we have to be careful not to assume beliefs of ancient people by back-projection of modern beliefs and ideas. So whilst the idea is perfectly plausible, for some societies at least, burying the deceased's possions with him or her was simply a mark of respect: the property belonged to that person so belongs to the body. This lingers in Western funerals today - in putting a favourite small possession or token in the coffin.
A few ancient peoples practised more elaborate rites such as cremation (difficult and very unpleasant on an open fire, but still or at least very recent in India) or excarnation.
The latter survived into recent history in Tibet and I think among some N. American native tribes: it may seem revolting to us but it was their way of showing their respect for the deceased.
What is an artifact that an economist want to study?
An economist may want to study historical government policies to understand their impact on economic outcomes, such as inflation or unemployment rates. By analyzing these artifacts, economists can gain insights into the effectiveness of different policy interventions on the economy.
What man made objects are studied by archaeologists?
Archaeologists study a wide variety of man-made objects, including tools, pottery, jewelry, buildings, weapons, artwork, and artifacts from daily life. These objects help archaeologists understand past human behavior, societies, and cultures.
Importance of written artifacts?
Written artifacts are crucial for preserving knowledge, history, and culture across generations. They provide valuable insights into the past, help establish a sense of continuity, and allow for critical analysis and interpretation. Additionally, written artifacts serve as a foundation for communication, education, and the development of ideas and innovations.
A historian - schleimann i think - read Homers Illiad, made comparisons of the geographical layouts described and locations mentioned in it, and excavated several sites until he found it. It should be noted that the archaeologist missed homer's troy by two or more strata.
What BP date corresponds to 2450 BCE?
2450BCE would have a BP (Before Present) date of 4400BP.
BP is set at the 1st January 1950.
What is the difference between antiquities study and archeology?
Antiquities study focuses on the cultural and historical significance of ancient artifacts and monuments, often within a broader context of art history and conservation. Archaeology involves the scientific study of past human societies through the excavation and analysis of material remains such as artifacts, structures, and ecofacts to reconstruct and understand ancient cultures and civilizations.
Which method of archaeological dating determines an artifact's age in relation to other objects?
Dating using the isotope carbon-14.
Carbon-14 dating is considered an "absolute" dating method as it will give a quantitative age (plus or minus an error). Relative dating techniques are typically based around the law of superposition which in an archaeological context broadly states that objects are buried by sediment in relation to their age whereby the older an object, the deeper it is buried.
This form of ageing allows you to state that one object is older or younger than another, but not by how much or the actual age of either object, hence relative dating!
Please see the related link for more information.
Gold coins were not used as currency during that time period, so it is highly unlikely that coins dating back to 439 BCE would be made of gold. Additionally, the lack of supporting evidence or historical context for such coins in that region would raise suspicions among other archaeologists. The discovery could potentially be a result of misidentification, misinterpretation, or even fraud.
What is the opposite of archaeology?
The opposite of archaeology is probably something like futurism, as it focuses on studying and predicting future trends rather than excavating and studying ancient artifacts and cultures from the past.
What can archeology contribute to biblical studies?
William Foxwell Albright began excavating in Palestine in the 1920's with the stated expectation that archaeology would refute the critical claims against the historical veracity of the Bible stories. He was convinced that if the ancient remains of Palestine were uncovered, they would furnish unequivocal proof of the historical truth of the events relating to the Jewish people in its land. The biblical archaeology that developed following Albright and his pupils brought about a series of extensive digs at the important biblical tells: Megiddo, Lachish, Gezer, Shechem (Nablus), Jericho, Jerusalem, Ai, Giveon, Beit She'an, Beit Shemesh, Hazor, Ta'anach and others.
While many of the earlier expectations of the biblical archaeologists have not been met, archaeology has provided a wealth of information that has enabled scholars to understand the Bible and its background.
Extremely serious difficulties arose in the attempts to locate the archaeological evidence for the military conquest of Canaan. Various expeditions at Jericho and Ai, the two cities whose conquest is described in the greatest detail in the Book of Joshua, have proved that at the end of the Late Bronze Age, which is the agreed period for the conquest, there were no cities in either tell, and of course no walls that could have been toppled. Explanations offered for Jericho included that the walls around Jericho were washed away by rain, or that earlier walls had been used. It was claimed that the original story of Ai actually referred to the conquest of nearby Beit El and was transferred to Ai by later redactors. As more and more sites were uncovered and it emerged that the places in question died out or were simply abandoned at different times, the conclusion that there is no factual basis for the biblical story about the conquest by Israelite tribes in a military campaign led by Joshua was confirmed.
Meanwhile, archaeologists in Egypt found that the many Egyptian documents that we have make no mention of the Israelites' presence in Egypt and are also silent about the events of the Exodus. Generations of researchers have tried to locate Mount Sinai and the encampments of the tribes in the desert but not even one site has been found that can match the biblical account. The name "Israel" is mentioned in a single Egyptian document from the period of Merneptah, king of Egypt, dating from 1208 BCE: "Plundered is Canaan with every evil, Ascalon is taken, Gezer is seized, Yenoam has become as though it never was, Israel is desolated, its seed is not." Merneptah refers to the country by its Canaanite name and mentions several cities of the kingdom, along with a non-urban ethnic group. According to this evidence, 'Israel' referred to one of the population groups that resided in Canaan toward the end of the Late Bronze Age, apparently in the mountainous hinterland where the Kingdom of Israel would later be established.
When archaeologists realised that the Philistines had only arrived in Palestine during the thirteenth century BCE, they began to realise that the story of Abraham and the Patriarchs was not literally true.
Excavations in Syria, Mesopotamia and elsewhere have provided an understanding of the religions and cultures of the forerunners and neighbours of the Hebrew people. They now realise that the Israelites spoke a closely related language to that of the Canaanites and must have worshipped the same gods. Some scholars began to believe that the stories of the Patriarchs were adaptations of older stories about the gods.
For a long while, scholars noticed that there was nothing to be found that confirmed the existence even of King David. However, the Mesha Stele or "Moabite Stone", bearing an inscription by the ninth century BCE Moabite King Mesha and discovered in 1868, was re-examined recently and may refer to the "House of David". If this reading is correct, then it is circumstantial evidence that David had once existed, or at least that the Judahites thought he had.
Archaeologists had expected to confirm that the empire of David and Solomon stretched from the Euphrates River to Gaza just as it was described in the Bible (1 Kings 5:4), but no such empire existed. Large sections of Jerusalem have been excavated over the past 150 years, and impressive remains have been found from centuries earlier than the Hebrew period, as well as from later periods, but not from the time attributed to the earliest Hebrew occupation and the United Monarchy.
Why does archaeological evidence often fail to provide a complete picture about culture?
Archaeological evidence is limited by what has survived over time, which may not accurately represent the full diversity of practices within a culture. Additionally, biases in the preservation of certain materials can skew the archaeological record. Interpretations of evidence can also be influenced by the biases and perspectives of the archaeologists themselves.
What is radiocarbon dating of fossils?
Carbon atoms are contained in most cells of all living things on Earth. Most carbon atoms (98.89 percent) are called carbon-12 because they have 6 neutrons and 6 protons in their nuclei. Most of the remaining atoms (1.11 percent) have 7 neutrons along with their 6 protons and are called carbon-13 atoms, but a very small quantity (called a trace amount) of carbon atoms have 8 neutrons and 6 protons. These and are called carbon-14 atoms.
Carbon-14 atoms are radioactive and are referred to as radiocarbon. They are unstable, and decay slowly by releasing electrons before evolving into nitrogen-14 atoms. A living organisms constantly absorbs carbon in its body systems by respiration and processing nutrients, and the amount of carbon-14 it contains remains fairly constant for as long as it lives. The carbon-14 decays without being replaced after the organism dies and half of the carbon-14 nuclei will disintegrate in about 5,730 years. The amount of carbon-14 that has disintegrated in a fossilized organism can be calculated and used for determining its age.
What is the term for looped handles in archaeology?
The term for looped handles in archaeology is "anthropomorphic handles." These handles are shaped like human figures or body parts and are commonly found on pottery vessels from various ancient cultures.
Which is part of an archaeologists job?
An archaeologist's job involves excavating and analyzing artifacts, sites, and structures from the past to learn about human history and culture. They also study ancient texts, maps, and other historical records to piece together information about past civilizations. Additionally, they may collaborate with other scientists and researchers to interpret their findings and contribute to our understanding of the past.
What is the difference between paleoanthropology and archaeology?
Paleoanthropologist concentrate on the evolution of humans as a biological species and the behavior of early human ancestors whereas archaeologist are concerned with past human cultures--their lifestyles, technology, and social systems--through the material remains they left behind. To ensure that data relevant to the paleoanthropologist's and archaeologists' questions are recovered, projects begin with a research design that sets out the objectives and formulates the strategy for recovering the pertinent information. Both subdisciplines overlap and utilize experts from other fields to provide a holistic interpretation of the past
When does an archaeological dig happen?
It is an area which is slowly, carefully and methodically excavated under the supervision of one or more archaeologists. The goal is to find and preserve historical evidence of former inhabitants, societies and civilizations. Most areas of the Earth are slowly covered over by accumulated soil, so that it is necessary to dig down to find really old artifacts. An archaeologist is a scientist and historian who is trained in the location and interpretation of evidence confirming former human habitation.
What materials can carbon dating be used to date?
Carbon dating can be used to date organic materials that were once part of a living organism, such as wood, bone, charcoal, and plant remains. It is most commonly used on objects that are less than 50,000 years old.
What is a good generalization for what do archaeologists study?
Archaeologists study human history through analyzing material remains such as artifacts, structures, and other physical evidence from past civilizations. They aim to understand how people lived, interacted with their environment, and developed societies over time.
