Archaeology: MidTerms 1 & 2 (answers)

occupation settlement, at least during pilgrimages to the monuments

archaeological evidence suggests builders used durrington walls periodically for hundreds of years. what purpose did it serve

all of these answers (quantity and quality of foods; burial treatment; distinctive housing)

archaeological indicators of social stratification do not include which of the following

how the artifacts were used

archaeologists can examine wear or damage patterns on stone tools using a high powered microscope. what can they determine with this info

homo erectus is the first hominin species to actively hunt for their food

archaeologists know that early hominids were obtaining meat based on stone artifact cut and percussion marks on animal bones. which of the following statements about this meat consumption is true

amounts of commodities like grain

how do archaeologists interpret the clay tokens found in mesopotamia

larger with thinner seed coats

how do seeds of domesticates differ from those in the wild

most males are slaughtered at a young age, while most females live to adulthood

how do we see evidence for domestication in animal species populations

geology (includes archaeology, sociocultural, linguistics)

in north america, which is not a sub-field of anthropology

homo floresiensis

liaua cave is an archaeological site on the island of flores that yielded some of the only evidence for this particular species of hominin in indonesia. which species was it

all of these are propaganda techniques (iconography on pots; murals; monumental architecture)

propaganda technologies do not include the following

a ceremonial route from recreating the cycle of life

stonehenge lies within an area of densely packed mortuary monuments. which statement best describes this built landscape

f

t/f; as related by richard lee in eating christmas in the kalahari, the kung san people readily accepted and were thankful for lee's gift of cow to them

f

t/f; like egypt, mesopotamia was unified as a stable and long-lasting state

t

t/f; piltdown man was a hoax presented in the early 20th century to persuade people that the first hominins lived in europe

f

t/f; poverty point demonstrates great income inequality and social stratification during the mississippian time period

f

t/f; the uluburun shipwreck is significant, because it demonstrates how extensive trade networks were throughout china

replacement of megafauna by smaller animals, fish, shellfish, and birds

the end of the pleistocene marked environmental changes that caused many cultures to shift their subsistence strategies. how would you best characterize this shift for most populations

none; the civilization developed in situ

the indus valley or harrapan civilization was founded by colonists from which region

gobekli tepe

the presence of large vats at this site may indicate alcohol production was one reason that hunter-gatherers in anatolia intensified seed exploitation

radiocarbon dating

this summer, archaeologists were excavating a house in eastern oklahoma and discovered a pit with burnt bone and charcoal. which dating method should they use to determine the age of the site

large labor forces indicated hunter-gatherers had complex sociopolitical structures

what can archaeologists inter from sites such as stonehenge and gobekli tepe

all of these answers (external threats, need to increase agricultural output, water control)

what challenges led to the development of complex societies

seriation

what dating method relies on the assumption that artifacts that looks alike were produced at the same time

elite burials have symbolic importance

what did excavations at the "royal tomb of ur" tell us about ancient mesopotamian society

the two species interbred

what did genetic evidence reveal about the relationship between neanderthals and homo sapiens

reflects some of the first semi-permanent occupation in a resource rich areas

what does the koster site in illinois tell us about early occupants in north america

methods that obtain calendar for archaeological sites

what is the definition of absolute dating

empires are larger and often include multiple states

what is the difference between states and empires

cultural relativism

what is the opposite of ethnocentrism

assumption that the archaeological record is an exact representation of how people in the past left it

what is the pompeii premise

allowed for the translation of egyptian hieroglyphs

what is the significance of the rosetta stone

syllabic

what kind of script was cuneiform

climate change including a substantial drought

what likely led to the collapse of the indus valley civilization

excavation

what technique can be described as the systematic uncovering of archaeological remains through removal of deposits of soil and other material

a 23-meter-long trackway of human-like footprints dating to more than 3.5 million years ago

what was the key paleoanthropological discovery made at the site of laetoli

all of these (it is the earliest hominin site outside of africa; there is evidence for cohabitation with denisovans; it has the earliest evidence for fire use)

when archaeologists excavated dmanisi, they found a homo erectus camp site underneath a 9th centruy town. what is significant about the site

holistic and integrative

which characteristics best describe the anthropological approach

temple

which entity formed the physical and ideological center of mesopotamian states

fossils that show some neanderthals survived severe trauma or chronic disease

which evidence suggests that neanderthals showed compassion for each other

humans are less robust

which feature best distinguishes humans from neanderthals

all of these (climate change, housing booms, archaeology)

which of the following are threats to cultural resources

multiple waves of people along the pacific coast and through the midcontinent

which of the following best describes the settlement of the americas

all of these answers (they had a basal flute; once believed to be produced by the first inhabitants of north american; often found in association with mammoth and mastodon remains)

which of the following characteristics describe clovis points

consistent temperatures

which of the following conditions help to preserve organic materials

soil formation

which of the following events could be seen by an examination of a geological time scale

all of these are correct (centralized technology, elites can monitor/control nonelites, defense)

which of the following is a reason for urbanization

leaders related to followers through kinship ties (includes: centralized accumulation of surplus; often legitimized through religion; supported by force)

which of the following is not a characteristic of institutionalized leadership

community members help archaeologists write the research design

which of the following is the best example of collaborative archaeology

at least 75% of the population resided in the city centers

which of the following statements about ancient egypt is incorrect

culture is uniform throughout a community (includes: children begin to learn cultural values at birth; people use culture to interact with their environment; changes in one aspect of culture will cause changes throughout)

which of the following statements about culture is not true

there is little evidence for distinctions between elites and commoners

which of the following statements about grave goods from the early harrappan period is true

subsistence strategies broadened to include a greater range of plants and animals

which of the following statements about subsistence strategies during the upper paleolithic is true

homo sapiens were the sole hominids living in europe at the time (includes: characterized by a number of social and technological innovations; marks the introduction of composite tools into the archaeological record; has evidence for one of the earliest calendars)

which of the following statements about the paleolithic is not accurate

one of the oldest and largest complex settlements in the neolithic

which of the following statements best describes catalhoyuk

center of a local, formally organized state

which of the following statements best describes great zimbabwe's origins

they had smaller brains than modern humans

which of these characteristics is true about australopithecines

floodwaters always rise to the same height each year, allowing us to reconstruct seasonality

which of these demonstrates the principle of uniformitarianism

hominins diverged from other apes more than 6 million years ago

which statement about human evolution is true

increasing cultural diversity across the globe

which statement best characterizes cultural development during the early holocene

bipedalism

which trait was the first to evolve in the human line

minor pharaoh who began famous only because his tomb was found unplundered

who was tutankhamun

they have a restricted temporal range and distinct morphology

why are index artifacts useful in cross-dating

in response to drought and the younger dryas climate change

why did the residents of abu hureya switch to cultivating rye

The different consequences of agricultural-based societies might have led him to this statement. Even though agriculture seems like a wonderful thing, it can lead to a less varied and more predictable diet, resulting in a decline in overall health. Because of agriculture, disease has increased as well as nutritional deficiencies. It especially has bad impacts on our farmland, caused by large scale land alteration.

A famous historian, Jared Diamond, once argued that agriculture was the biggest mistake in human history. Based on what you've learned in class, what might have led him to this statement?

The first migration of the hominin line out of Africa included the Homo erectus species about 2 million years ago. Their success in other regions was due to the introduction of new Archulean technology, including bifacial hand axes and cleavers. These hominins developed an increased meat consumption due in part to the increased brain sizes after 2 million years ago.

Consider the first migration of the hominin line out of Africa. What contributed to their success in other regions? In your answer, describe at least two technological advantages that we discussed in class.

Domestication is the active interference in the life cycles of plants and/or animals by humans. Sedentism is the practice of living in one place, rather than being mobile. Agriculture is the practice of farming and growing crops for food. It is possible for a community to be sedentary without adopting an agricultural strategy, because being an agriculturalist does not necessarily mean being sedentary. It is possible for a community to rely on hunting & gathering, as well as trade.

Define domestication, sedentism, and agriculture. Is it possible for a community to be sedentary without adopting an agricultural subsistence strategy?

Archaeologists use architecture and other public works to gauge social complexity through pyramids and irrigation systems. Building pyramids tells us the means of state redistribution, control, and legitimization. Pyramids were built by paid workers, normally citizens of the specific state; this tells us that there was a social hierarchy within these civilizations, as well as forms of payment and craft specialization. Irrigation systems identify similar characteristics, but also point out the importance of agriculture and maintaining a stable food supply for a large population. A civilization that depends on farming crops for a food supply implements an irrigation system in order to sustain their growing population.

How can archaeologists use architecture and other public works to gauge social complexity? Describe two examples and what they tell us about the community that made them.

Bipedalism is significant because it was the first evolutionary trait to appear in human evolution. It was the first feature that began to distinguish hominins from its ancestors. It first appeared roughly 6 million years ago, and the first fully bipedal hominins appeared 3-4 million years ago. Evidence for bipedalism includes fossils that show skulls oriented upright and femurs that angle inward to provide balance for walking.

Pick one evolutionary trait and trace its importance in human evolution. In your response, address when the trait appeared (date or species), what evidence there is for it, and why it's significant.

Looting impacts sites and our understanding of the past because it actively targets materials with value. Looters do not properly analyze and examine the artifacts, because they are simply trying to make money. Local populations and subsistence looters have a different viewpoint about looting, because most people do it to feed their families. The local community, especially if their cultural background is connected to the artifacts, does not support looting, because it exploits their ancestors valuable's. However, despite the many different perspectives, collectors and museum's justify looting because once they purchase the artifact from the antique restores, they are protecting and rescuing the artifact from an unstable and unsafe environment. Even though the artifact itself was acquired illegally, the museums and collectors will still purchase the item to make sure it is kept safe.

What are the legal and moral concerns associated with the antiquities trade? Address the following in your answer. How does looting impact sites and our understanding of the past? Explore how local populations could feel about looting. How might this vary culturally? Include subsistence looting in your response. What is the justification for collectors and museums buying artifacts that may have been illegally acquired?

The three types of post-depositional processes are geological, bioturbation, and anthropogenic. Geological processes can impact sites through chemical weathering, erosion, or sea level changes. Bioturbation can disturb sites with digging animals or other organisms such as aerobic microbes. Anthropogenic processes can impact sites through any human-caused disturbance, such as digging, deposition, or the replacement of original structures.

What are the three types of post-depositional processes? Describe how they can impact archaeological sites by providing an example of each.

primary refuse

a small group of people abandon the remains of their picnic lunch on the grass in the south oval on campus. what might you ask them to pick up

fluted spearpoint in association with ribs of bison

discovered in 1908, folsom was the first site to unequivocally prove that native americans had been in the americas for at least 10,000 years. what did they find at the site

uruk

during the uruk period (550-5000 ago), what city became known for its complex political organization, secular rulers, priestly elites, large temples, and vast trading networks

egyptian citizens

generally, which group of people were responsible for the construction of ancient pyramids

oldowan choppers

homo habilis utilized which type of stone tool technology

people intensifying collection of a few productive resources

how do anthropologists recognize complex hunter-gatherers