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