ANT101H5 Lecture Notes - Multidisciplinary Approach, Taphonomy, Ethnoarchaeology
Document Summary
Paleoanthropology is the study of ancient human ancestors, specifically hominins. Multidisciplinary approach: lot of different disciplines. Reconstruct human ancestor behavior & ecology: similar used in archaeology. Paleoanthropologists study hominins before homo sapiens are sapiens. Archaeology = the study of the human past through material remains. We"ve developed a lot of sophisticated methods. We look at a very broken representation of the past. European archaeology = often associated with golden age : focus on the history, example greece. North american archaeology = developed from the interest of the indigenous people of north america: heavily associated with ethnology and less with history. To describe that past: who, when, where (specifics) To analyze and reconstruct past life ways: what (behavior) To explain past events and directions: how, why (trends, causes) Collect background information: generation of hypotheses. Create research design: formulation of hypotheses. Field and lab research, analysis: testing. To find out what is there (to do excavation)
