ANT200H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter Week 3: Taphonomy
Document Summary
Archaeological record surviving and retrievable material remains of past human activity. Artifacts - portable objects whose form is modified (for use or by use) or wholly created human activity. Features - nonportable human-made remains that cannot be removed from their place of discovery without altering or destroying their original form. Ecofacts - nonartifactual natural remains that nonetheless have cultural relevance. Sites - spatial clusters of artifacts, features, and/or ecofacts. Regions - the largest and most flexible spatial clusters of archaeological data. Taphonomy study of what happens to plants and animals after they die. Matrix physical medium that surrounds, holds, and supports the archaeological data. Provenience 3d location of any archaeological data within the matrix. Association two or more artifacts occurring together in the same matrix. Context evaluation of archaeological data based on both behavioural and transformational processes. Midden specialized areas for rubbish disposal apart from other activity areas eventually becoming stratified reflects the practice of rubbish accumulation and disposal.
