ANTH 112 Midterm: ANTH STUDY GUIDE
23 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Today"s archaeologists seldom discover lost civilizations like the archaeologists 100 years ago did. Instead, they use the clues unearthed to piece together ancient and recent civilizations. Archaeologists, though often misconceived to study dinosaurs, fall under the field of anthropology. Archaeologists study human culture, specifically those of the past, through the material they unearth. The archaeological record consists of material remains people used; it can vary from pot shards, obsidian flakes, seeds and animal bones, to remains preserved under the right conditions such as wooden tools. History is contrasted with archaeology because it focuses on written documents that oftentimes concern aspects of the society such as the ruling class, religious beliefs, inventories of food, trade, and other affairs of the state. Literate people in past societies focused their writings on a limited portion of the society. Archaeologists, on the other hand, examine the remains of tombs of kings and households of the common folk.
