Anthropology 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Social Stratification, Lake Titicaca, Utah Transit Authority
11 Dec 2015
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Screening: ensures consistent recovery of animal remains. Flotation: ensures consistent recovery of plant remains: the type of question you are trying to answer will shape what type of recovery you do, ex. Studying the burnt seeds from an archaeological site to determine whether the occupants: microfossils: too small to be seen with the naked eye, macrofossils: readily visible to the naked eye. Palaeobotany: studies plant remains used domesticated plants. Not as easy to identify like pollen. Zooarchaeology studies animal remains: bones, teeth, antlers, shells, insects. Bone preservation depends on the environment: dry or frozen conditions are better for the preservation of animal bones. Modern reference collection: collection of examples of known species, animal skeletons, plants, etc, provides a reference when identifying objects. Assumption: species lived in the same environmental conditions in the past that they do in the present. Tracks changes in relative abundance of species. Small, less mobile species (microfauna) are more sensitive indicators.
