Archeology: The Archeology: The Science of TrashScience of Trash

By Ron EisenmanBy Ron Eisenman

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Archeology Goes To The Archeology Goes To The MoviesMovies

DefinitionDefinition

Archeology is the scientific study of Archeology is the scientific study of past human culture and behavior, past human culture and behavior, from the origins of humans to the from the origins of humans to the present. present.

The aim is to reconstruct human The aim is to reconstruct human societies that can no longer be societies that can no longer be observed firsthand, in order to observed firsthand, in order to understand and explain human understand and explain human behavior.behavior.

Objects of StudyObjects of Study Archaeologists study the material remains of Archaeologists study the material remains of

previous human societies such as the fossils previous human societies such as the fossils (such as preserved bones and teeth) of humans, (such as preserved bones and teeth) of humans, food remains, the ruins of buildings, and human food remains, the ruins of buildings, and human artifacts—items such as tools, pottery, and artifacts—items such as tools, pottery, and jewelry. jewelry.

Fossil: any trace or impression of an organism of Fossil: any trace or impression of an organism of past geologic time that has been preserved in the past geologic time that has been preserved in the Earth’s crust. Bones, teeth, shells, horns and Earth’s crust. Bones, teeth, shells, horns and woody tissues of plants are the most common woody tissues of plants are the most common typetype

Artifact: any object made or altered by humansArtifact: any object made or altered by humans

HistoryHistory

The discipline of archeology began in The discipline of archeology began in the 19the 19thth Century Century

Most early sites were in Europe, Most early sites were in Europe, Egypt, and Southwest AsiaEgypt, and Southwest Asia

Today, highly trained archeologists Today, highly trained archeologists excavate sites all over the world excavate sites all over the world which cover the earliest human which cover the earliest human history to the presenthistory to the present

The Archeological RecordThe Archeological Record Most objects have disintegrated over time. Most objects have disintegrated over time.

The prospects for an item to be found in the archeological The prospects for an item to be found in the archeological record depend on the following factors:record depend on the following factors:– Soil conditionsSoil conditions– Nature of the original materialNature of the original material

The most common items include durable items such as The most common items include durable items such as potsherdspotsherds (small fragments of pottery), tools or buildings of stone, bones, and (small fragments of pottery), tools or buildings of stone, bones, and teeth (which survive because they are covered with hard enamel).teeth (which survive because they are covered with hard enamel).

Delicate objects are rarely foundDelicate objects are rarely found– Temperature: Ice and cold temperatures slow decayTemperature: Ice and cold temperatures slow decay– Humidity: Low humidity encourages preservation, ie, King Tut’s Humidity: Low humidity encourages preservation, ie, King Tut’s

flowers and robesflowers and robes– Human activityHuman activity

Paradox: Assuming a site is preserved and discovered, it is Paradox: Assuming a site is preserved and discovered, it is destroyed as soon as it is touched. destroyed as soon as it is touched.

SpecialtiesSpecialties Since the archeological record is so Since the archeological record is so

incomplete, archeologists must use other incomplete, archeologists must use other kinds of information and educated kinds of information and educated reasoning to fill in the gaps.reasoning to fill in the gaps.

Archaeology is a multi-disciplinary team Archaeology is a multi-disciplinary team effort relying on expertise in diverse fields, effort relying on expertise in diverse fields, including physical anthropology (the study including physical anthropology (the study of human biology and anatomy), geology, of human biology and anatomy), geology, ecology, and climatology (the science of ecology, and climatology (the science of weather patterns). Sub-specialties include weather patterns). Sub-specialties include exotic fields like zooarchaeology, exotic fields like zooarchaeology, paleoethnobotany, and geoarchaeology.paleoethnobotany, and geoarchaeology.

SpecialtiesSpecialties Prehistoric archeology Prehistoric archeology

(or paleoanthropology)(or paleoanthropology)– Early human remainsEarly human remains– Stone AgeStone Age– Early FarmingEarly Farming

Historical archeologyHistorical archeology– Classical CivilizationsClassical Civilizations– Biblical archeologyBiblical archeology

Underwater archeologyUnderwater archeology Industrial archeologyIndustrial archeology Urban archeologyUrban archeology Forensic archeologyForensic archeology

SurveySurvey Site: any place containing Site: any place containing

archeological remains of archeological remains of human activityhuman activity

How are sites How are sites discovered?discovered?– LuckLuck– Ground surveys: soil Ground surveys: soil

marks, vegetationmarks, vegetation– Aerial photographyAerial photography– Satellite imagingSatellite imaging– Exposure from erosion, Exposure from erosion,

earthquakes, floodsearthquakes, floods– Documents, maps, and Documents, maps, and

folklorefolklore– Conspicuous mounds or Conspicuous mounds or

ruinsruins

Type of SitesType of Sites Living or settlement Living or settlement

sitessites– Early settlements were Early settlements were

open-air lake or open-air lake or riverside camps, rock riverside camps, rock overhangs, or cavesoverhangs, or caves

– Near water, game, and Near water, game, and farming opportunitiesfarming opportunities

Kill sitesKill sites Ceremonial sitesCeremonial sites Burial sitesBurial sites BattlefieldsBattlefields

StonehengeStonehenge

ExcavationExcavation Sites are excavated according Sites are excavated according

to plan- there are no second to plan- there are no second chanceschances

2 methods:2 methods:– Horizontal excavation: for Horizontal excavation: for

larger areaslarger areas– Vertical excavation: for smaller Vertical excavation: for smaller

areas and emphasis on areas and emphasis on chronology (see next slide)chronology (see next slide)

Grid systems and stakes are Grid systems and stakes are used to record the exact used to record the exact location of where an object is location of where an object is found in relation to another found in relation to another objectobject

Digging is carefully done using Digging is carefully done using hand trowels, screens, hand trowels, screens, brushes, and picks. Flotation brushes, and picks. Flotation may also be usedmay also be used

Site maps, photographs, scale Site maps, photographs, scale drawings are useddrawings are used

The distinctly colored and textured layers visible in the excavation wall represent different episodes in the shelter's long history of intermittent human occupation. Generally speaking, the dark layers are associated with intense occupation, while the light colored layers are mostly cave dust and roof spalls from periods when the shelter (or just this part of it) wasn't used by humans

Vertical ExcavationVertical Excavation

Sorting the EvidenceSorting the Evidence

The materials are The materials are processed in a processed in a laboratorylaboratory

3 hours of tedious 3 hours of tedious lab work for one lab work for one hour of fieldworkhour of fieldwork

Analysis of human Analysis of human skeletal materials skeletal materials explains many explains many aspects of lifeaspects of life

GoalsGoals

Modern archaeological studies have three Modern archaeological studies have three major goals: major goals:

1.1. Chronology: to establish the age of Chronology: to establish the age of excavated materialsexcavated materials

2.2. Reconstruction: to model what past human Reconstruction: to model what past human campsites, settlements, or cities—and campsites, settlements, or cities—and their environments—might have looked their environments—might have looked like, and how they might have functionedlike, and how they might have functioned

3.3. Explanation: to create scientific theories Explanation: to create scientific theories about what people living in the past about what people living in the past thought and did. thought and did.

DatingDating

Chronology- Relative DatingChronology- Relative Dating

Relative dating: establishes the establishes the date of archaeological finds in date of archaeological finds in relation to one another. relation to one another.

Law of Association: an object is Law of Association: an object is contemporary with the other contemporary with the other objects found in the same objects found in the same archaeological levelarchaeological level

Law of Superposition: The Law of Superposition: The lowest occupation level on a site lowest occupation level on a site is older than those on top of it.is older than those on top of it.

It is possible to date materials It is possible to date materials by:by:– Comparing the object itself Comparing the object itself

with known dates of similar with known dates of similar objectsobjects

– Palynology: examination of Palynology: examination of pollen grains and vegetationpollen grains and vegetation

– Knowledge of paleontology Knowledge of paleontology and the nearby animal and the nearby animal remainsremains

Chronology- Absolute Chronology- Absolute DatingDating

Absolute dating: determines the year in which an artifact, remain, which an artifact, remain, or geological layer was or geological layer was deposited. deposited. – Historical documents or Historical documents or

objects of known age that objects of known age that confirm the date, or both.confirm the date, or both.

– Dendrochronology, or tree-Dendrochronology, or tree-ring dating. (More recent)ring dating. (More recent)

– Radiocarbon dating Radiocarbon dating (40,000-1500 AD)(40,000-1500 AD)

– Uranium Thorium Dating Uranium Thorium Dating (1 MYA-300,000)(1 MYA-300,000)

– Potassium-argon dating Potassium-argon dating (oldest to ¼ MYA)(oldest to ¼ MYA)

Writing was invented in Mesopotamia around 3200 BC

Tree ring dating

Reconstruction and Reconstruction and ExplanationExplanation

Settlement: The study Settlement: The study of the nature of of the nature of human occupation of human occupation of a site.a site.– How long? What kind of How long? What kind of

activities took place? activities took place? Organization? What Organization? What materials were used? materials were used? Where did the materials Where did the materials originate? Trade with originate? Trade with outsiders?outsiders?

BurialsBurials– Reveals much about an Reveals much about an

individual and the individual and the larger societylarger society

Reconstruction and Reconstruction and ExplanationExplanation

Food: provides clues about Food: provides clues about environment, economics, environment, economics, and technologyand technology

Textiles: one of the most Textiles: one of the most important products of important products of human skill for over 1 human skill for over 1 million years.million years.

Disease (Paleopathology): Disease (Paleopathology): Clues to genetics, natural Clues to genetics, natural environment, and social environment, and social conditionsconditions

WarfareWarfare ValuablesValuables Ritual and religionRitual and religion

Archeology Careers and Archeology Careers and ResourcesResources

http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdehttp://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/anthro/dlcfaq.htmlpts/anthro/dlcfaq.html

SourcesSources

http://history-world.org/archeology.hthttp://history-world.org/archeology.htmm

http://http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/anwww.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/anthro/dlcfaq.htmlthro/dlcfaq.html

Past Worlds: Atlas of ArchaeolgyPast Worlds: Atlas of Archaeolgy Anthropology by HavilandAnthropology by Haviland