Anth Exam 2 Review
Which of the following is not a trapped charge dating method? a. Accelerator mass spectrometry b. Thermoluminescence c. Optically stimulated luminescence d. Electron spin resonance
a. Accelerator mass spectrometry
24. Which of the following Great Basin projectile point series are arranged in the correct chronological order from youngest to oldest? a. Desert Side-notched, Rosegate series, Elko Corner-notched, Gatecliff Contracting Stem. b. Rosegate series, Elko Corner-notched, Gatecliff Contracting Stem, Cottonwood Triangular. c. Gatecliff Contracting Stem, Elko Corner-notched, Desert Side-notched, Rosegate series. d. Cottonwood Triangular, Elko Corner-notched, Rosegate series, Desert Sidenotched.
a. Desert Side-notched, Rosegate series, Elko Corner-notched, Gatecliff Contracting Stem.
28. Which of the following is known to be true of Shoshone pottery? a. It appears suddenly in many parts of the Desert West at about AD 1300 and similar pottery is manufactured until about AD 1860. b. The pottery was introduced by a migrating Shoshone population that replaced existing desert populations. c. The shift to pottery manufacture by Shoshone people was a direct result of changing environmental conditions that made ceramic vessels more efficient. d. All of the answers are correct.
a. It appears suddenly in many parts of the Desert West at about AD 1300 and similar pottery is manufactured until about AD 1860.
Which of the following is a difference between optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL)? a. OSL dates the last time sediment was exposed to light, while TL dates the last time artifacts were heated. b. OSL dates the last time artifacts were heated, while TL dates the last time sediment was exposed to light. c. OSL relies on radiocarbon dating while TL is a trapped charge dating method. d. OSL is a trapped charge dating method while TL relies on radiocarbon dating.
a. OSL dates the last time sediment was exposed to light, while TL dates the last time artifacts were heated.
Who introduced the index fossil concept to archaeology? a. Oscar Montelius. b. A. E. Douglas c. Willard Libby. d. Jeffrey Dean.
a. Oscar Montelius.
If you were interested in examining trends in pottery style change through time which of the following methods would you use? a. Seriation b. Reverse stratigraphy c. Potassium-argon dating d. Argon-argon dating
a. Seriation
Which of the following is true of the Hudson-Meng site in northwest Nebraska? a. Taphonomic research suggests that humans played little, if any, role in the deaths of the 500 bison at the site. b. The presence of hundreds of projectile points among the bison bone strongly suggests the bison were dispatched by human hunters. c. The presence of clear cutmarks on bison bones provided evidence of butchery by humans. d. The fact that most of the bison bones were highly disarticulated and scattered provides evidence of butchering by humans.
a. Taphonomic research suggests that humans played little, if any, role in the deaths of the 500 bison at the site
What do the dark tree rings mean among alternating dark and light rings? a. a year's late summer/fall growth. b. a year's spring/summer growth. c. a result of fire scarring. d. a result of quick cell growth in climatically favorable conditions.
a. a year's late summer/fall growth.
21. If you are excavating a culturally homogeneous stratum or set of strata within a single site, you are excavating a(n): a. component. b. assemblage. c. temporal type. d. period.
a. component
39. Phases are a term archaeologists use to refer to a. culturally homogeneous units within a single site. b. archeological cultures. c. basic archaeological building blocks for regional synthesis. d. temporal types.
a. culturally homogeneous units within a single site.
Which of the following methods is represented by trying to move stones weighing several tons using only the tools and materials that the ancient Egyptians had available to them, with the goal of determining whether or not Egyptian technology was sufficiently sophisticated to produce monuments like the pyramids? a. experimental archaeology. b. ethnoarchaeology. c. analogy. d. uniformitarianism.
a. experimental archaeology.
Exploring the possible ways to make a projectile point is an example of what method and, if done while observing the way a living group of people make projectile points, what does it exemplify? a. experimental archaeology/ethnoarchaeology b. middle range research/general theory c. ethnoarchaeology/experimental archaeology d. general theory/middle range research
a. experimental archaeology/ethnoarchaeology
What kind of analogies are justified by similarities in the formal attributes of archaeological and ethnographic objects and features? a. formal analogies. b. relational analogies. c. middle-range analogies. d. uniformitarian analogies.
a. formal analogies.
7. If ceramic vessels are grouped together based on the fact they were all used as storage containers, in spite of the fact that design elements indicate they are from different time periods, then they have been grouped according to: a. functional type. b. morphological type. c. temporal type. d. space-time systematics.
a. functional type.
Under what condition(s) are formal analogies are strengthened? a. if many ethnographic cases demonstrate the same pattern, and the archaeological and ethnographic cases have many attributes in common. b. if they can be drawn between cultures with drastically different settlement systems, subsistence practices, or economies. c. if close cultural continuity cannot be demonstrated between archaeological and ethnographic cases. d. All of the answers are correct.
a. if many ethnographic cases demonstrate the same pattern, and the archaeological and ethnographic cases have many attributes in common.
How does seriation differ from the index fossil concept? a. instead of relying on the presence or absence of distinctive kinds of artifacts, it relies on changes in the frequencies of artifacts or styles. b. instead of relying on changes in the frequencies of artifacts or styles, it relies on the presence or absence of distinctive kinds of artifacts. c. seriation applies only to pottery styles, while the index fossil concept can apply to all artifact facts. d. None of the answers; seriation is the same thing as the index fossil concept.
a. instead of relying on the presence or absence of distinctive kinds of artifacts, it relies on changes in the frequencies of artifacts or styles.
The radiocarbon date 2850 +/- 40 BP suggests that there is a 66% chance that the true age: a. lies between 2810 and 2890 BP. b. is 2830 BP. c. lies between 2810 and 2850 BP. d. lies between 2850 and 2890 BP.
a. lies between 2810 and 2890 BP.
A geologist observes glacial moraines and striations in an area that is today not glaciated. The geologist interprets those features as evidence of past glacial activity. Which of the following approaches is she or he? a. middle level theory. b. the principle of uniformitarianism. c. a relational analogy. d. All of the answers are correct.
a. middle level theory.
8. A good typology will: a. minimize differences within each created type and maximize differences between each type. b. maximize differences within each created type and minimize differences between each type. c. result in abundant overlap between types. d. only be replicable by the archaeologist who created it.
a. minimize differences within each created type and maximize differences between each type.
36. In a typology abstract, descriptive properties are called a. morphological types. b. temporal types. c. functional types. d. artifact types.
a. morphological types
33. Typology is/are a. the systematic arrangement of material culture into types. b. the catalogued artifacts in a museum. c. another term for stone artifacts. d. a form of conservation technique.
a. the systematic arrangement of material culture into types.
Why is a tree ring sequence only useful in the region in which it was developed? a. trees respond to climate and climate is regionally variable. b. researchers tend not to share their data with one another, and thus each area needs its own specialist. c. tree rings are partially conditioned by soil chemistry which can be highly variable over small distances. d. in order to be useful, tree rings must be calibrated using radiocarbon dating, and calibration curves are regionally specific.
a. trees respond to climate and climate is regionally variable.
3. A class of archaeological artifacts defined by a consistent clustering of characteristics is a(n): a. type. b. attribute. c. component. d. phase.
a. type.
Why is it that plants of similar ages and that grew in the same soil can produce different radiocarbon ages? a. use of different photosynthetic pathways. b. the reservoir effect c. De Vries effect d. problems with calibrating the radiocarbon curve
a. use of different photosynthetic pathways.
What makes tree-ring dating possible? a. variable tree ring widths preserve information about past climatic change and can be fit into a long-term chronological sequence. b. tree rings can simply be counted and subtracted from the present to determine the calendar date of the tree's death. c. all trees respond to climatic variability in the same way. d. All of the answers are correct.
a. variable tree ring widths preserve information about past climatic change and can be fit into a long-term chronological sequence.
Which of the follows best approximates the limits of radiocarbon dating? a. 25,000 years. b. 45,000 years. c. 125,000 years. d. 245,000 years.
b. 45,000 years.
What is a relative date? a. A date expressed as a specific unit of scientific measurement, such as days, years, centuries, or millennia. b. A date expressed relative to another (e.g., earlier, later, more recent, etc.) rather than in absolute terms. c. A date based on the occurrence of distinctive fossil assemblages in distinct strata. d. No longer useful for archaeology; absolute dates are necessary in order to provide a meaningful interpretation of an assemblage.
b. A date expressed relative to another (e.g., earlier, later, more recent, etc.) rather than in absolute terms.
4. Which of the following is true of archaeological types? a. Archaeological types are assigned with the goal in mind of classifying objects in the same way that prehistoric populations would have classified them. b. Archaeological types are abstractions; the same object could be classified in many different ways. c. The most useful archaeological types are based on similarities in morphology. d. The most useful archaeological types are based on similarities in function.
b. Archaeological types are abstractions; the same object could be classified in many different ways.
What was an important result of Don Crabtree's experimental flintknapping research? a. It failed to discover any successful ways in which Folsom projectile points could be fluted in spite of decades of research; flintknappers today still don't understand how to produce a flute. b. It discovered successful ways in which Folsom projectile points could be fluted, and stimulated additional research resulting in the discovery of more successful fluting methods. c. It discovered the purpose of the flute in Folsom projectile points; fluting was part of a prehunting ritual designed to ensure hunting success. d. It showed that the fluting of Folsom projectile points was actually a simple process that any minimally skilled flintknapper (by today's standards) could accomplish with relative ease.
b. It discovered successful ways in which Folsom projectile points could be fluted, and stimulated additional research resulting in the discovery of more successful fluting methods.
Why is taphonomy useful to archaeology? a. It shows that modern human behavior can be extended into the past, strengthening interpretations of the archaeological record. b. It helps archaeologists separate the effects of natural processes and human behavior on site formation. c. It can determine the most efficient method of tool manufacture, which was most likely the method employed in the prehistoric past. d. It reminds ethnoarchaeologists of their responsibility to the living people that they study.
b. It helps archaeologists separate the effects of natural processes and human behavior on site formation.
7. Stone tools found in Neanderthal cave sites, divided into 63 types, including a variety of points, scrapers, knives, handaxes, and denticulates are termed a. Bordes, after the French archaeologist. b. Mousterian. c. Dibble, after the University of Pennsylvania investigator. d. Proximal.
b. Mousterian.
Which of the following dating methods provides the most precise date? a. Potassium-argon b. Radiocarbon c. Dendrochronology d. Thermoluminescence
b. Radiocarbon
What exactly does dendrochronology attempt to date? a. The year wood was last burned. b. The year that the tree was the healthiest, thus providing a signal of climatic amicability. c. The year a tree was used in to build a structure d. The year a tree was cut or died.
b. The year that the tree was the healthiest, thus providing a signal of climatic amicability.
Inferring that prehistoric kivas had the same function as kivas used by Puebloan societies today is an example of what kind of analogy? a. a formal analogy. b. a relational analogy. c. low level theory interpretation. d. both formal and relational analogies.
b. a relational analogy.
15. The morphological projectile point types defined at Gatecliff became temporal types when: a. surface projectile point finds corresponded to point types found in stratified deposits. b. a series of radiocarbon dates determined the geological sequence at Gatecliff, and time ranges could then be assigned to the projectile point types. c. dendrochronological dating assigned exact years to projectile point types. d. thermoluminescence dated the stratified deposits in which the different projectile points were discovered.
b. a series of radiocarbon dates determined the geological sequence
If you are analyzing a collection of artifacts of one or several classes of materials (stone tools, ceramics, bones) that comes from a defined context such as a site, feature, or stratum, you are analyzing a(n): a. component. b. assemblage. c. phase. d. period.
b. assemblage.
40. The principles of archaeological typology include: a. creating groups based on one or more attributes that maximize differences within each group. b. creating groups based on one or more attributes that minimize differences within each group. c. using subjective and nonreplicable processes. d. being "correct."
b. creating groups based on one or more attributes that minimize differences within each group
11. The number of attributes recorded during artifact analysis: a. is limited by the number of measurements possible, which is generally very few. b. is generally limited to those that are necessary to accomplish the purpose of the typology. c. is generally limited to those that provide an accurate description of artifact size, such as length, width, and thickness. d. is generally as many as possible, so that future analysts will not have to reexamine the artifacts to obtain the data they need to answer different research questions.
b. is generally limited to those that are necessary to accomplish the purpose of the typology.
What is that dating techniques tell us about cultural activities? a. everything we need to know b. nothing directly c. nothing at all d. how to speculate
b. nothing directly
What kind of analogies are justified on the basis of close cultural continuity between the archaeological and ethnographic cases or similarity in general cultural form? a. formal analogies. b. relational analogies c. middle-range analogies. d. uniformitarian analogies.
b. relational analogies
Studying how a large animal carcass decomposes on an African savannah to determine how long it takes the carcass to disarticulate in different seasons and which bones are carried away by carnivores is an example of which of the following methods? a. ethnoarchaeology. b. taphonomy. c. experimental archaeology. d. geoarchaeology
b. taphonomy
6. You are excavating a site in the Great Basin and you find a stratum that contains only Elko points. This indicates to you that the stratum dates to a particular period. The Elko point, in this example, can be referred to as a(n): a. functional type. b. temporal type. c. seriated type. d. morphological type.
b. temporal type.
In geology, what is it that the principle of uniformitarianism asserts? a. the processes that modified the earth's surface in the past are unknowable because they cannot be directly observed. b. the processes now operating to modify the earth's surface are the same as those of the geologic past. c. the processes now operating to modify the earth's surface cannot simply be assumed to be the same as those of the geologic past, but must be demonstrated to be the same. d. geologic processes are distinct from archaeological processes and that uniformitarianism only applies to geologic processes
b. the processes now operating to modify the earth's surface are the same as those of the geologic past.
Organisms that obtain carbon from a source that is depleted or enriched in 14C relative to the atmosphere may return ages that are considerably older or younger than they actually are. What accounts for this? a. De Vries effect. b. the reservoir effect. c. the effect of different photosynthetic pathways. d. problems with calibrating the radiocarbon curve
b. the reservoir effect.
Electron spin resonance is a trapped charge dating method that is primarily used to date which of the following? a. bone organic matter. b. tooth enamel. c. volcanic ash. d. the last time sediments were exposed to light.
b. tooth enamel.
2. The classification of artifacts into types that organize and simplify artifact variability is termed: a. attribute analysis. b. typology. c. phase designation. d. component designation.
b. typology.
32. The novice's first job in the lab of an archaeological investigation is often a. piecing together ceramics. b. writing down minute number on artifacts or labels and entering the information into a database. c. analyzing pollen or residues of blood, plants, or other materials. d. reconstruction of skeletal remains.
b. writing down minute number on artifacts or labels and entering the information into a database
Which carbon isotope is the rarest? a. 12C b. 13C c. 14C d. None of the answers; carbon isotopes exist in the same proportions.
c. 14C
Who developed the technique of dendrochronology, or tree ring dating? a. Nels Nelson b. Oscar Montelius c. A. E. Douglas d. Willard Libby
c. A. E. Douglas
Ichtucknee Blue on White ceramics were manufactured from AD 1600 to 1650. Excavating a historic site in Georgia, you find bits of broken Ichtucknee Blue on White plates. Therefore, you know that the terminus post quem date on this site is which of the following? a. AD 1650. b. AD 1625. c. AD 1600. d. sometime after AD 1650.
c. AD 1600.
Which of the following is an advantage of the accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) method of radiocarbon dating? a. although not as precise as standard dating methods that count beta decays, AMS dating is less subject to problems caused by atmospheric fluctuations in 14C b. AMS dating is much cheaper than standard dating methods that count beta decays c. AMS dating requires much smaller carbon samples than standard dating methods d. AMS dates are easier to calibrate than standard radiocarbon dates
c. AMS dating requires much smaller carbon samples than standard dating methods
16. Which of the following do we know to be true about Desert Side-notched points and Cottonwood Triangular points? a. They both post-date AD 1300. b. Desert Side-notched points were designed for hunting bighorn sheep, while Cottonwood Triangular points were designed for hunting rabbits. c. Cottonwood Triangular points were unfinished, intended to be later notched, while Desert Side-notched points were already finished. d. Each represents a different cultural group living side by side at Gatecliff
c. Cottonwood Triangular points were unfinished, intended to be later notched, while Desert Side-notched points were already finished.
Which of the following type of evidence usually provides dates for historical sites? a. Geomorphological b. Faunal c. Documentary d. Floral
c. Documentary
26. Why is an understanding of space-time systematics a crucial first step in understanding why people did what they did in the past? a. Space-time systematics automatically explains why prehistory took the course that it did; in other words, explanatory hypotheses are built into space-time systematics. b. Research questions generated by space-time systematics are easily answered because the necessary data have already been collected. c. It is impossible to understand why cultures change without first documenting temporal and spatial change in artifact types. d. All of the answers are correct.
c. It is impossible to understand why cultures change without first documenting temporal and spatial change in artifact types.
When faced with a choice of wood to use in tree-ring dating, which of the following would yield the best results? a. Cottonwood b. Sagebrush c. Pine d. All types of wood are equally useful, making tree-ring dating such a powerful tool.
c. Pine
Which of the following best describes the goal of middle level theory? a. To determine whether modern cultures accurately reflect prehistoric cultures. b. To identify gender through stone tool analysis. c. To help build secure inferences from archaeological remains. d. To identify the role of the individual in archaeological research.
c. To help build secure inferences from archaeological remains.
In trapped charge dating methods, the amount of gamma radiation emitted by sediments is measured by which of the following? a. optically stimulated luminescence. b. thermoluminescence. c. a dosimeter. d. beta decay.
c. a dosimeter.
17. An archaeological culture is: a. the same thing as an ethnographic culture. b. an accurate reflection of how prehistoric people viewed themselves. c. a region within a culture area whose material culture differed from that of other regions. d. All of the answers are correct.
c. a region within a culture area whose material culture differed from that of other regions.
23. Total length, axial length, maximum width, basal width, maximum thickness, midsection thickness, proximal shoulder angle, notch opening, and neck width are examples of projectile point: a. phases. b. components. c. attributes. d. types.
c. attributes.
What was it that radiocarbon dating was able to determine about the Shroud of Turin? a. was a modern forgery, created sometime in the 20th century. b. dates to the time of Christ. c. dates to medieval times, between AD 1260 and 1390. d. was created long before the time of Christ, although the exact date is uncertain because it lies at the practical limit of radiocarbon dating.
c. dates to medieval times, between AD 1260 and 1390.
What is the term for a thin, sharp sliver of stone removed from a larger piece of rock during the flintknapping process? a. projectile point. b. core. c. flake. d. biface.
c. flake.
14. The typology of the French archaeologist François Bordes classified Mousterian tools into 63 types which occurred in set frequencies, creating four fundamental patterns. Bordes argued that these four patterns reflected four different cultural groups of Neanderthals. Bordes' typology: a. assumed that the stone tools were in their final intended form, rather than in forms that resulted from resharpening. b. was completely wrong, illustrating how poorly constructed typologies can lead a researcher astray. c. has stood the test of time; different "tribes" of Neanderthals are still thought to have been responsible for the different patterns of Mousterian artifacts. d. categorized morphological variation improperly; proper categorization would have resulted in a correct interpretation of the assemblages.
c. has stood the test of time; different "tribes" of Neanderthals are still thought to have been responsible for the different patterns of Mousterian artifacts.
What is the purpose of heat-treating stone tool raw material? a. create stone tools by subjecting the raw material to heat, which would cause the material to fracture into usable pieces. b. make it more difficult for the raw material to be flaked and shaped. c. improve the flintknapping properties of the raw material. d. have hot stones that could be used for cooking (e.g., dropped into ceramic vessels).
c. improve the flintknapping properties of the raw material.
5. A descriptive and abstract grouping of individual artifacts whose focus is on overall similarity rather than function or chronological significance is a: a. temporal type. b. functional type. c. morphological type. d. stylistic type
c. morphological type.
Which of the following is relative dating method that orders artifacts based on the assumption that one cultural style slowly replaces an earlier style over time? a. dendrochronology. b. the index fossil concept. c. seriation. d. the Law of Superposition
c. seriation.
25. If the frequencies of morphological types change significantly through time, and can be demonstrated to be restricted in time, the morphological types can be also be useful as: a. evidence of migration and subsequent population replacement. b. evidence of a shift in ancient peoples' "mental templates." c. temporal types. d. functional types
c. temporal types.
What was revealed by taphonomic research at the Hudson-Meng bison bonebed in northwest Nebraska? a. the ancestors of modern Plains Indians purposely broke open bison skulls to remove the brains for use in tanning hides. b. natural processes such as incomplete burial and subsequent exposure to sunlight could have caused the tops of the bison skulls to decompose. c. the bonebed was a result of the ancestors of modern Plains Indians running a herd of 500 bison off of a low cliff and subsequently dragging them to a processing area. d. the bonebed was a result of both natural bone accumulation and human hunting practices
c. the bonebed was a result of the ancestors of modern Plains Indians running a herd of 500 bison off of a low cliff and subsequently dragging them to a processing area.
In what sense are "absolute dates" absolute? a. they can only say how much older or younger one site or artifact is than another. b. they place sites in relative order. c. they provide specific ages or age ranges. d. they cannot be disputed.
c. they provide specific ages or age ranges
9. The goal of the Gatecliff projectile point typology was: a. to distinguish between arrow and dart points (in other words, to determine functional differences). b. to determine differences in the frequencies of raw material types used in projectile point manufacture through time. c. to define temporal types that could then be used to estimate the age of surface assemblages. d. None of the answers; the Gatecliff typology had no goal and illustrates the problems inherent in typologies that are not associated with particular research questions.
c. to define temporal types that could then be used to estimate the age of surface assemblages.
13. The "Frison Effect" explains the change in the shape of stone tools as a result of: a. different cultural groups occupying the same site at different times. b. different mental templates of different flintknappers within the same cultural group. c. tool resharpening. d. differences in stone tool typologies.
c. tool resharpening.
38. The concept of culture areas a. has roots in the late nineteenth century. b. is ushered in with New Archaeology in the 1960s. c. was first outlined in Phillips' influential book, Method and Theory in American Archaeology (1958). d. is based on the understanding of Cottonwood Triangular points.
c. was first outlined in Phillips' influential book, Method and Theory in American Archaeology (1958).
Which of the following factors can affect the utility of radiocarbon dating? a. contamination (e.g., by coal). b. atmospheric fluctuations of 14C. c. the length of time wood is useful after it dies ("old wood" problem). d. All of the answers are correct
d. All of the answers are correct
1. After excavation, recovered artifacts must be conserved. Conservation can involve: a. a simple cleaning of the artifacts. b. stabilization of artifacts to prevent decomposition. c. reconstruction of artifacts, such as broken pottery vessels. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
12. Which of the following measurements could provide useful information about an artifact's size? a. Length b. Width c. Weight d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
19. Which of the following is true of archaeological phases? a. They are defined by temporal types. b. They are blocks of time characterized by one or more distinctive artifact types. c. They further divide and refine archaeological periods. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
30. The following were concerns regarding the excavation and conservation of the Hunley: a. the location of the Hunley was a mystery until a magnetometer was used to locate it. b. the ship would have quickly corroded unless it was sprayed with water after it was raised. c. keeping the carbonate layer intact was critical to the preservation of the vessel. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
After excavating a hearth feature you submit organic material from the hearth for a conventional radiocarbon date. The result comes back as follows: Beta-33003, 3500+/- 100 radiocarbon years BP. What is that you know? a. beta represents the Laboratory. b. 3500 represents the years before present. c. +/- 100 represents the standard error. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
What happened to the remains of Ishi, the Yahi Indian who lived at the University of California's museum in San Francisco and demonstrated traditional arrow-making and fire-starting for museum visitors? a. His body was autopsied by the university's medical center after his death in spite of his wishes that no autopsy be performed. b. His brain was sent to the Smithsonian Institution so that it could be put "to scientific use," where it sat for nearly 85 years. c. His remains were returned to California's Pit River tribe in 2000, and buried in a secret location. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
What is a sipapu? a. a small pit in a kiva located along the wall opposite the ventilator shaft. b. the place where the Hopis are said to have emerged into this world from the underworld. c. the place through which Hopi communication with the supernatural world takes place. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
What is the index fossil concept? a. It allows widely separated strata to be correlated and assigned to the same time period if they contain the same fossils. b. It is the idea that strata containing similar fossil assemblages are of similar ages. c. It enables archaeologists to characterize and date strata within sites using distinctive artifact forms that research shows to be diagnostic of a particular period of time. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
When discussing projectile points, what is a "flute"? a. a distinctive characteristic of Clovis and Folsom projectile points. b. a wide, shallow, longitudinal groove on the face of a projectile point. c. the feature that is created by the removal of a channel flake. d. All of the answers are correct.
d. All of the answers are correct.
Which of the following is an example of reasoning through uniformitarian principles, rather than simple analogy? a. Ethnographic data on the hunting and gathering Shoshone in Nevada suggest that in the 19th century the Shoshone lived in groups of about 25 people; therefore prehistoric people who lived in the same area with the same economy also lived in groups of about 25. b. Ethnographic data from all over the world show that hunter-gatherers live in groups of about 25 people; therefore prehistoric hunter-gatherers in the deserts of Nevada also lived in groups of about 25 people. c. It has been demonstrated using ethnographic data that in a variety of different kinds of environments a group of hunter-gatherers of about 25 people contains about 7 active hunters and this number is sufficient to ensure that someone comes home with game each day; increasing the number of hunters beyond 7 increases the amount of food needed for the group but does not appreciably increase the chance that some hunter will come home with game; thus we argue that prehistoric hunter-gatherers also lived in groups of about 25 people. d. Ethnographic data on highly nomadic hunter-gatherers in desert environments who depend heavily on plants for food rather than on animals show that they live in groups of about 25 people; since prehistoric foragers in the Great Basin deserts were nomadic and heavily dependent on plant foods we argue that prehistoric peoples lived in groups of 25 people.
d. Ethnographic data on highly nomadic hunter-gatherers in desert environments who depend heavily on plants for food rather than on animals show that they live in groups of about 25 people; since prehistoric foragers in the Great Basin deserts were nomadic and heavily dependent on plant foods we argue that prehistoric peoples lived in groups of 25 people.
What was revolutionary about Nelson's 1914 excavation methodology at San Cristobal Pueblo in New Mexico? a. Nelson was aware of the effect of screen mesh size on artifact recovery, and adjusted his screening methods accordingly. b. Nelson used the newly discovered radiocarbon dating technique to provide an absolute date for the occupation of the pueblo. c. Nelson was the first to use dendrochronology, and was able to obtain absolute dates for the construction of the pueblo. d. Nelson excavated in arbitrary stratigraphic levels and developed a master ceramic sequence which allowed for chronological control through the index fossil method.
d. Nelson excavated in arbitrary stratigraphic levels and developed a master ceramic sequence which allowed for chronological control through the index fossil method.
22. In discussing temporal types, the text mentioned Cottonwood Triangular projectile points, which are essentially un-notched Desert Side-notched points. Why were Cottonwood Triangular points left un-notched? a. They were "war arrows," left un-notched so that they would remain in a body even after the shaft was pulled out. b. They were unfinished, intended to be later notched. c. They were made by novices or children who were not adept at notching points. d. None or any of the above; we do not know for certain why they were left unnotched.
d. None or any of the above; we do not know for certain why they were left unnotched.
If the date of a historic site is undocumented, archaeologists might use which of the following techniques to provide a date? a. Pipe stem dating b. Terminus post quem dating c. Radiocarbon dating d. Pipe stem dating and Terminus post quem dating
d. Pipe stem dating and Terminus post quem dating
When documentary evidence is not available, known ages of artifact types are generated to create age-range or median ages for historical features or sites using which of the following methods? a. TPQ. b. mean ceramic age dates. c. radiocarbon dates. d. TPQ and mean ceramic age dates.
d. TPQ and mean ceramic age dates.
Archaeologists know that Folsom points date to between 10,300 and 10,900 radiocarbon years ago. If an archaeologist finds a Folsom point in a site, and assumes that the site dates to between 10,300 and 10,900 years ago, the archaeologist is using which of the following in his or her reasoning? a. Seriation b. Trapped charge dating c. Relative dating d. The index fossil concept
d. The index fossil concept
What can we expect regarding continual advances in dating methods? a. They will permit a greater understanding of the chronology of the past. b. They will confuse scholars and lead to disputes among the academic community. c. They will help create new paradigms and new ways of understanding the past. d. They permit a greater understanding of the chronology of the past, and create new paradigms and new ways of understanding the past.
d. They permit a greater understanding of the chronology of the past, and create new paradigms and new ways of understanding the past.
27. Which of the following is true of the space-time systematics of North American archaeology? a. Space-time systematics is still the main focus of archaeological research, as basic spatial and temporal changes in material culture remain undocumented for much of North America. b. Space-time systematics has been largely worked out, and no longer preoccupies archaeology as it did in the first half of the 20th century. c. Space-time systematics is not very useful for North American archaeology, because material culture remained unchanged for long periods of time in many places. d. While space-time systematics has dominated European archaeology for the past century, its utility for North American archaeology is just now being recognized.
d. While space-time systematics has dominated European archaeology for the past century, its utility for North American archaeology is just now being recognized.
Who discovered the radiocarbon dating technique? a. Nels Nelson. b. Oscar Montelius. c. A. E. Douglas. d. Willard Libby.
d. Willard Libby.
Dendrochronology provides what kind of a measure of time, while the Law of Superposition allows for what kind of a measure of time? a. relative/absolute b. calibrated/corrected c. long-term/exact d. absolute/relative
d. absolute/relative
10. If you are defining measurable or observable qualities or characteristics of an artifact that distinguish it from another on the basis of its size, surface texture, form, material, method of manufacture, or design pattern, you are defining: a. the Frison Effect. b. projectile point types. c. components. d. attributes.
d. attributes.
29. Characteristics of the Mousterian culture include: a. a culture from the Middle Paleolithic period. b. appeared throughout Europe between 30,000 and 10,000 years ago. c. mousterian artifacts are frequently associated with Neanderthal human remains. d. both a culture from the Middle Paleolithic period and mousterian artifacts are frequently associated with Neanderthal human remains.
d. both a culture from the Middle Paleolithic period and mousterian artifacts are frequently associated with Neanderthal human remains.
31. Archaeology differs from ethnology in that archaeology a. studies cultural evolution and culture change over a century or two. b. can address the entire history of humanity. c. deals with the space of continents or hemispheres. d. can address the entire history of humanity and deals with the space of continents or hemispheres.
d. can address the entire history of humanity and deals with the space of continents or hemispheres.
18. Archaeologists divide prehistory into periods based on: a. the appearance of a new cultural group in the area of interest. b. the appearance of trade goods and exotic raw material types that indicate interaction between groups. c. changes in a culture's ideology, as reflected in ceremonial items. d. changes in observable material culture, such as house form, pottery, or subsistend. changes in observable material culture, such as house form, pottery, or subsistencece
d. changes in observable material culture, such as house form, pottery, or subsistend. changes in observable material culture, such as house form, pottery, or subsistencece
35. Attributes are a. measurable and observable qualities of an object. b. differences like size and notch position. c. finite characteristics with set rules governing their number. d. measurable and observable qualities of an object, such as size and notch position.
d. measurable and observable qualities of an object, such as size and notch position.
Argon-argon dates volcanic rock, especially ash, in layers that are how many years old? a. thousands b. tens of thousands c. hundreds of thousands d. millions
d. millions
34. The delineation of patterns in material culture through time and space and the patterns of which are what the archaeologist will eventually try to explain or account for is referred to as a. types. b. context. c. matrix. d. space-time systematic
d. space-time systematic
