ANTH 111 Lecture Notes - King William Island, Expedition 11, Archaeological Site
Methods of Studying the Past: Paleoanthropology and
Archaeology:
Paleoanthropology is the study of fossilized remains of
human ancestors. Focuses on humans and primates, the
order to which humans belong. (prosimians - pre-monkey)
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Fossil are preserved remains of a plant or animal that has
become mineralized over time.
Australopithecus robustus: up-right walker (not a
human though)
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Archaeopteryx
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Silica
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Calcium carbonate
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Unaltered fossil are remains preserved without
mineralization.
Skin, soft organs preserved over millions of years
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Fossil Locales are places where fossilized remains of once
living organisms are found
Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania--sediment layers, study fossils
found in the different layers (different layers, different
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Archaeological Methods (pg.24-38)
Monday, September 11, 2017
10:48 AM
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found in the different layers (different layers, different
periods of time)
Archaeological Site is a place where evidence of past
human activity is found. There are many different kinds of
sites depending on the type of activity that was carried out
there.
Skara Brae, Orkney Islands --Neolithic--dwellings
underground, path ways
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Heritage Property Act is a Saskatchewan legislation
designed to protect archaeological sites and other heritage
resources.
First step, getting a permit--set out in 1980
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Archaeological or paleo-anthological
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CRM archaeologists (cultural resource management)
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Site Survey is the process of discovering the location of
archaeological sites; sometimes called site reconnaissance.
Techniques for Locating Sites
Pedestrian Survey
Walk through transects
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Good for cultivated fields
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Or where there is not a lot of sedimentation
(e.g., Arctic)
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1)
Shovel Testing
Digging small test pits, see if there is anything
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2)
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Digging small test pits, see if there is anything
beneath the ground (around 50 cm)
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Can use an auger instead of a shovel--a little
bit more destructive
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See how large a site is by shovel testing
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Aerial Photography/Satellite Imaging
Provide an overhead image of an area
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Nazca line geoglyphs--patterns created on the
ground surface (troughs 30 cm deep)
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3)
Geophysical Techniques (non invasive--do not have
to dig up the site)
Electrical resistivity
Different types of sediment creates
different kinds of electricity
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Magnetic resistivity
Finding objects with metal, not always
perfect --excellent for finding fire objects
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Ground penetrating radar
Uses pulse and electromagnetic radiation
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Radar waves that reflect off of any kind of
buried objects
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Scan unmarked burial site --map out
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4)
Map it out
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Recent Archaeological Discovery - "Lost Franklin expedition
ship found in the Arctic"
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find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Paleoanthropology is the study of fossilized remains of human ancestors. Focuses on humans and primates, the order to which humans belong. (prosimians - pre-monkey) Fossil are preserved remains of a plant or animal that has become mineralized over time. Australopithecus robustus: up-right walker (not a human though) Skin, soft organs preserved over millions of years. Fossil locales are places where fossilized remains of once living organisms are found. Olduvai gorge, tanzania--sediment layers, study fossils found in the different layers (different layers, different found in the different layers (different layers, different periods of time) Archaeological site is a place where evidence of past human activity is found. There are many different kinds of sites depending on the type of activity that was carried out there. Skara brae, orkney islands --neolithic--dwellings underground, path ways. Heritage property act is a saskatchewan legislation designed to protect archaeological sites and other heritage resources. First step, getting a permit--set out in 1980.
