what is archaeology?

grariturbation

artifacts move down due to gravity

disturbance

behaviour modifies artifacts in archaeological context

tertiary

completely removed from its original context + reused. REMOVED

archaeological context

context is used as a technical term referring to the remains of an individual stratigraphic event. Contexts are events in time which have been preserved in the archaeological record. (The cutting of a pit or ditch in the past is a context, whilst the material filling it will be another.)

provenience

exact location where artifact was discovered. -association with other finds (skeleton surrounded by beads/animal bones)

cryoturbation

freeze/thaw activity in soil pushing artifacts to the surface.

reclamation

go back to systemic from archaeological

cultural deposition

includes discard

context

location of archaeological find in time + space.

activity area

locations of specific tasks/behaviours focused on single task/goal within the site.

feature

non-portable artifact - generally a structure built/modified but not necessarily intentionally. (walls, pits, hearths/oven, midden)

primary

object it its original position of discard/deposition (in-situ) ORIGINAL

secondary

object moved/disturbed from its original place of deposition. MOVED

site formation

objects move from systemic context --> archaeological context

archaeological record

physical and material evidence of past behaviour

archaeological site

places of human behaviour + concentrations of material remains of past activities. -artifacts, features, activity area -surface/buried -residential/non-residential

artifacts

portable objects shaped, modified, and created by people

floralturbation

process where trees + plants affect archaeological record

reuse

series of changes in use, with only a sharp gap between used before entering archaeological record. (includes recycled materials)

matrix

soil + sediments surrounding the artifact.

provenance

source or origin of the artifact.

archaeology

the study of human past using material culture.

argillturbation

wet + dry cycles in clay-rich soils psh artifacts to the surface. (expands when wet, contracts when dry)

systemic context

-how artifacts were used in the past -living behavioural system of manufacture, use, discard -life history/bio (objects move SYSTEMIC --> ARCHAEOLOGICAL)

site formation in archaeological context

-where will object be found? -subject to processes of decay + decomposition -only find small proportion of total material culture -moisture -inorganic > organic

artifacts move b/w systemic + archaeological context via:

1) Cultural deposition (inc. discard) 2) Reclamation (go back to systemic from archaeological) 3) Disturbance (behaviour modifies artifacts arch. context) 4) Reuse -series of changes in use w/ only a sharp gap b/w uses before entering archaeological record. (inc. recycled materials)

faunalturbation

animals affecting archaeological record