What is Archaeology?

Enlightenment

An era of systematization of archaeology and introduction of scientific method/ theorizing and hypotheses. It took placce between the 18th-19th century.

Three Age System

Classification of prehistoric past -Stone -Bronze -Iron

Nicholas Steno

Created "Law of Superposition" (17th century)

Charles Lyell

Creator of the "Principles of Geology"(18th-19th century)

Christian Jurgenson Thomsen

Creator of the three age system

CRM

Cultural Resource Management (emerges in 60's-70's) -Concern with aboriginal culture's and ethical methods for excavation -Seek indigenous perspective

Ecological/Evolutionary Approaches

Culture change results from communal responses to stresses in the relationship between human societies and their ecosystem.

Uniformatism

Natural processes occurring over long periods of time to form the earth

Theory

The overall framework within which a researcher operates.

John Lloyd Stephans & Fredrick Catherwood

These two travelled throughout Belize exploring ancient Mayan Cities ( Chiapas, Yucatan). Instilling in public that archaeology may be taken up as recreational sport (a colonial enterprise). (Golden Age)

Squir & Davis

These two were the first to survey and excavate ancient earthworks in America. Looked for functions of earthworks, burial mounds, and forts. Studied most importantly Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, Hopewell Platform pipes. (Golden Age)

Catastrophism

Tied with religious beliefs. The belief that the earth was laid down after the great flood, and that geological changes did not occur.

Golden Age of Discovery

(1840-1960) Discovery rooted in Colonialism. Excavation for aesthetic purposes, artifacts could be found in peoples homes as a sort of travelogue. Examples; -Auten Henry Layard -John Lloyd Stephans & Fredrick Catherwood -Squier & Davis

General Pitt-Rivers

(1880-1900) Excavated Roman Burial Mounds -Called for Seriation of artifacts discovered by type when placed in Museums -Artifacts were to be cataloged and Collected (nothing left behind) -Artifact attributes were to be recorded (Great Scientific Rigor)

Sir Flinders Petrie

(1890) Father of Seriation and Relative Dating Method -Studied: Egypt, Southwest Asia, Palestine Tel el-Hesi -Detailed excavation methods; concern with context -Relative dating : Similarities determine time frame context

Great Scientific Rigor

(1920's onward) Excavation methods were of greater concern. Destruction of any type of evidence in the attempt to gain some time of aesthetically appealing material artifact became a lesser common act among the Archaeological community.Examples: -General Pitt-Rivers -Sir Flinders Petrie

Fields of Archaeology

1.Classical 2.Historical 3.Industrial 4.Prehistoric 5.Ethnoarchaeology

Four Fields of Anthropology

1.Linguistic 2.Biological 3.Socio-cultural 4.Archaeological

Diffusionism

Assumption that many major human inventions originated in one place, then diffused to other parts of the world as a result of trade, migration, cultural contact, or exploration. (now discredited)

Principles of Geology

Belief that earth has a very long history + Uniformatism Slow geological processes produce continuous changes to earth's surface (Charles Lyell)

Charles Darwin

Believed that evolutionary principles can be used to understand life on earth.

William Smith

Believed that natural processes such as erosion, weathering, and sedimentation developed the earth. Father of STRATIGRAPHY!!!!!

Sumerian Civilization

Earliest literate society in the world

Sumerian Civilizations

Earliest literate society in the world

Auten Henry Layard

Excavation of Syrian Sites in Iraq --> Introduction of West to Assyria --> Discovered Ninevah remains --> (Golden Age)

David Boyle

First Archaeologist in Ontario.

Haquero

Looters of south american lost tombs

Thomas Jefferson

Made first stratigraphic excavation in the Americas (Virginia specifically) in the 1780's.

Development of Modern Scientific Archaeology

Founded by: -Invention of modern scientific excavation techniques -Use of multidisciplinary approaches to study person vs. environment -Increasing impact of science on archaeology -Refinement of archaeological theory

Law of Superposition

Sediments exist on top of pre-existing sediments (Nicholas Steno)

Unilinear Evolution

Starting with savagery and culminating in a "State of Civilization"

Archaeologists

Study changes in human cultures over long periods of time

Archaeology

Study of ancient human behaviour based on surviving material remains of the past

Palynology

Study of minute fossil pollen grains as a means of studying ancient environments.

Cultural Ecology

Study of the ecological relationships between human cultures and their environment. (Julian Stewart)

Direct Historical Approach

To work backwards from well-documented historic levels far into prehistory.

Antiquarians

Wealthy collectors who saw excavation as a sport to gain An Artifact centered paradigm. There is no attempt to understand artifacts purpose. (existed through to the 1860's)