ANT 304 Exam 3 study guide
When was NAGPRA created?
1990
NAGPRA stands for Native ____ Graves Protection and ____ Act
American; Repatriation
Which type of archaeology accounts for most of the field of archaeology in the United States today?
CRM
Imagine that you work at a federal office that handles claims requests from indigenous groups under NAGPRA regulations. Identify which of the following materials would be candidates for repatriation.
Candidate for Repatriation Under NAGPRA: Nine-thousand-year-old skeletal remains found in California and being studied in a lab nearby. Native American burial goods on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Not a Candidate for Repatriation Under NAGPRA: A Native American skeleton held in the British Museum in London. Thousand-year-old funerary beads found in central Canada.
Which of the following materials was used to color Colonial ceramic glazes?
Chemical compounds like lead oxide and copper oxide
The Elgin Marbles are a matter of contention in the question of who owns the past. Which of the following statements about the Elgin Marbles are correct?
Correct Statement: The Elgin Marbles are sculptures from the Parthenon in ancient Greece. Lord Elgin removed the marbles with the permission of the local government. Not a Correct Statement: The Elgin Marbles are sculptures from the Pantheon in ancient Greece. The British Museum will not return the marbles until there is an appropriate museum to house them.
What does CRM, in the archaeological world, stand for?
Cultural Resource Management
Identify the statements that correctly describe the role of UNESCO in archaeological preservation and conservation
Describes Role of UNESCO: UNESCO highlights endangered sites. UNESCO places cultural, natural, and mixed sites on a World Heritage list. UNESCO encourages countries to preserve their heritage. Does Not Describe Role of UNESCO: UNESCO guarantees protection of listed sites.
In 2015, the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) destroyed a number of archaeological monuments. Which of these monuments was ISIS responsible for destroying?
Destroyed By ISIS: Statues and decoration at Hatra & Arch of Palmyra Not Destroyed By ISIS: Bamiyan Buddhas
Identify the difficulties faced by entities attempting to comply with NAGPRA regulations
Difficulty Faced: Ethical dilemmas arise especially when remains are scientifically significant. It is often difficult to determine cultural affiliation of materials or areas of aboriginal occupation. There is no single, unified indigenous tradition in the United States. Not a Difficulty Faced: Getting Native American materials returned from overseas countries is difficult.
Identify the main difference between ethnoarchaeology and the way in which early archaeologists used ethnographic reports in the past
Early ethnographic reports written by ethnographers might not have taken note of details that would be important to archaeologists
Looting is, unfortunately, still a large problem and major cause of destruction for many archaeological sites. Identify who creates the demand for antiquities that looters are seeking to gain from illegally
Entity that Funds Looting: collectors & some museums Not an Entity that Funds Looting: archaeologists & universities
What is the main difference between ethnoarchaeology and ethnography
Ethnoarchaeology is work done by archaeologists, while ethnography is work done by cultural anthropologists
Identify the correct definition of ethnoarchaeology
Ethnoarchaeology refers to the study of contemporary cultures from an archaeological point of view
____ is the study of contemporary cultures through first-hand observation
Ethnography
"Return to country" means that Aboriginal peoples are finally returning to their ancestral lands.
False
As its name suggests, post-processual archaeology thoroughly replaced processual archaeology.
False
Since Catalhoyuk was an urban site, it had public architecture and ceremonial centers.
False
Features of male skull
Forehead less rounded, Orbits tend to be square as opposed to rounded, Zygomatic arch is usually heavier, Teeth tend to be larger
Reducing the activities of looters is a responsibility shared by many. Identify the actions that may reduce looting
May Reduce Looting: a museum adopting a strict acquisitions policy, laws that make dealing in illicitly excavated antiquities a criminal offense, & the return of illegal antiquities to their country of origin Does Not Reduce Looting: the actions of a collector purchasing an artifact to sell it to a museum
Regarding the San Pedro Ethnohistory Project - Which is an example of incorporating Indigenous beliefs into archaeological interpretation?
Middens are not trash but sacred objects left behind by ancestors.
Which of the following pieces of evidence might suggest cannibalism?
Might Suggest Cannibalism: cut marks on bone, human remains mixed with animal remains Does Not Suggest Cannibalism: Harris lines, primary burials
Identify the correct description of NAGPRA
NAGPRA is a U.S. law that requires federally funded institutions to return culturally affiliated remains to the appropriate Native American tribe
UNESCO, which stands for United ____ Educational, Scientific, and ____ Organization, is an international agency focused on raising awareness of and protecting our world heritage
Nations; Cultural
Identify which of the following are ways in which Native Americans have responded to archaeological excavations and studies
Native American Response: opposing excavations, curating repatriated materials, & reburying ancient human remains Not a Native American Response: organizing illegal repatriation of Native American human remains
Identify the items that would need to be returned to indigenous American groups, under NAGPRA law
Needs to Be Repatriated: culturally affiliated remains not on tribal lands, culturally unaffiliated remains on tribal lands, & culturally affiliated remains on tribal lands Does Not Need to Be Repatriated: culturally unaffiliated remains not on tribal lands
Identify which of the following are primary agents of destruction of the past
Primary Agent of Destruction of the Past: construction works & agricultural intensification Not a Primary Agent of Destruction of the Past: archaeology & archaeological survey
Identify the main reasons why looting is problematic for understanding the past.
Problem With Looting: Looters prevent public access to artifacts. Looters do not record information about sites. Looters remove materials from their archaeological context. Not a Problem With Looting: Looters are usually foreigners coming into another country.
Identify the alternative term used to describe the New Archaeology
Processual Archaeology
Which of the following is a criticism that post-processualists had with the New Archaeology?
Processualists incorrectly believed that archaeology could be neutral and objective, Processualists did not take into consideration that people in the past had agency, and Processualists reduced culture to environmental adaptation
By 1800 AD, no one knew how to read and write in Maya glyphs because
Spanish colonizers trained Mayan scribes to write in Spanish
Which of the following statement characterizes post-processual archaeology?
There are multiple interpretations of the past that are equally valid.
"Multivocality" in archaeology is an approach that involves collaboration and the inclusion of different voices and perspectives in reconstructing the past.
True
Archaeological evidence at Catalhoyuk indicates that urban, complex societies could have been egalitarian.
True
During the 1800s, scholars knew the glyphs used for counting and measuring time.
True
One responsibility that a tribal archaeologist has is to ensure that the tribe is in compliance with laws related to heritage and cultural resources.
True
T/F: Neanderthals interbred with modern humans.
True
Protection and conservation are usually enforced by national bodies, with the exception of a few international agencies. Which of the following is one of these international agencies?
UNESCO
Identify the different types of evidence used to determine cultural affiliation of archaeological materials under NAGPRA
Used to Determine Cultural Affiliation: oral traditions, historic texts, scientific evidenceNot Used to Determine Cultural Affiliation: tribal lands
Why is Y-chromosome DNA important in bioarchaeology?
Y-chromosome DNA is inherited onlyalong the male line
Identify which of the following themes are investigated by gender archaeology
are: the roles of women in the past, how concepts of gender change with changing economies, the distinction between sex and gender are not: the natural distinctions between men and women throughout history
The countries of origin for the ABG adults were determined by:
artifacts associated with their burials, dental modifications, and mitochondrial DNA
processual archaeology
attempts to provide more general explanations and frames hypotheses to test against the data
Imagine that you are working at an early modern human site and have uncovered a burial. Identify which anthropologists would be likely to analyze which items
bioarchaeologist: position of the body, human DNA biological anthropologist: human DNA
The pelvis is important for determining an individual's sex. What are defining female skeletal features.
broader pelvic outlet and wider sciatic notch
Which of the following pieces of information might a bioarchaeologist determine about an individual from their skeletal remains?
can: cause of death, diet, occupation cannot: language spoken
Paleopathology is the study of abnormalities in skeletal remains. Identify the items that can be studied using paleopathology.
can: health status of past populations, violence patterns, cultural traditions cannot: age
Imagine that you are a bioarchaeologist studying a past population. So far you have been able to determine ages for most of the population. With this information, what conclusions can you draw about this population?
can: life expectancy, infant mortality rates cannot: social stratification, sex ratios
Which of the following is a less precise but still useful indicator to determine age for adult skeletal remains?
changes to bone tissue
Due to the varying rates of growth, different bones and teeth are better indicators of age at different times throughout life. Which bones and teeth are most accurate at which ages?
children and adolescents: eruption of deciduous teeth adults: decrease in bone density
Hypoplasias evident in tooth enamel demonstrated that
children experienced high rates of malnourishment and illness.
One approach to "decolonizing" archaeology is:
collaborating with Native Americans, integrating Indigenous knowledge into research, and ensuring that research benefits descendants.
David Stuart's contribution to breaking the Maya code included
continuing Knorosov's work and finding that single glyphs were phonetic
Research on Maya glyphs nearly came to a halt because Eric Thompson
convinced most scholars that each of the symbols in glyphs stood for entire words or ideas, refuted Yuri Knorosov's claim that the glyphs stood for phonetic sounds, and believed that the glyphs were religious in nature and therefore unsolvable
DNA is the genetic material that contains essential information on the continuation of life. Identify the correct statements about DNA.
correct: Genes are composed of DNA, DNA is found in the nucleus of the cellin correct: DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic adenine, A nucleotide is an organism's complete set of DNA
People of European and Asian descent share significantly more DNA with Neanderthals than do people from other areas of the world. Identify the correct implications of this find.
correct: Neanderthals and humans interbred, Interbreeding occurred after modern humans left Africain correct: Neanderthals evolved separately in Europe and Asia, Interbreeding occurred in Africa before modern humans migrated out of Africa
A bioarchaeologist is a very specific kind of archaeologist. Identify which of the following items a bioarchaeologist might be called on to analyze.
correct: a warrior burial from the Bronze Age, a mass grave from a past war, a modern crime scene where a body was foundin correct: ceramics from a prehistoric hearth
Analysis of modern mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, provides key insights into the evolution of Homo sapiens. Identify the reasons why this is the case.
correct: mtDNA is inherited directly from the maternal line, mtDNA mutates at a rapid and constant ratein correct: mtDNA gives evidence on trauma in past populations, mtDNA in bones does not degrade over time
Ancient DNA can be extracted from skeletal remains of humans and animals, as well as preserved plant remains. Identify some of the areas in which ancient DNA analysis can provide insights.
correct: past disease, past population migrations, past landscape reconstruction incorrect: past human burials
Identify the criticisms that New Archaeologists had of culture-historical approaches in archaeology
criticism: archaeology was not scientific enough, theory did not play a big enough role not a criticism: not concerned with group migration, used too many models
Identify the criticisms of the New Archaeology
criticisms: too generalized, too functionalist non criticisms: too focused on social relations, too specific
The concept that "culture" is the means by which humans adapt to their environment is referred to as:
cultural ecology
Each archaeological approach is a reaction to previous approaches as archaeologists attempt to develop better ways of studying and understanding the archaeological record. Place the main archaeological approaches in the chronological order they emerged.
culture history, new archaeology, postprocessual approach
Linda Schele and Peter Matthews were able to:
decipher most of Palenque's dynastic history
The Kennewick Man is one of the earliest human skeletons in the Americas, and also one of the most famous Native American repatriation cases in the history of archaeology. Which two of the following statements describe the Kennewick Man case correctly?
describes: In 2002, a US judge ruled that the remains were so old that it is impossible to say whether the remains are related to the claimant Native American tribes. On discovery, archaeologists tried to prevent the return of the remains of the Kennewick Man to Native American tribes, following NAGPRA process. does not describe: In 2002, a US judge ruled that the remains belonged to Native American people, regardless of which tribe. The remains of Kennewick man were displayed in a museum for many years before Native American groups requested the return of the remains.
Identify the statements that correctly describe evolutionary archaeology
describes: evolutionary archaeology is a processual approach, evolutionary archaeology uses Darwinian theory, evolutionary archaeology applies the processes used to describe biological evolution to describe cultural change does not describe: evolutionary archaeology attributes the evolution of culture to diffusion
There are unfortunately many agents of destruction of archaeological sites. Identify each agent as either direct or indirect
direct: looters & archaeology indirect: unethical museums & tourism
Identify the characteristics of the processual approach
does: focuses on ecological and social factors, attempts to isolate different processes within a society, provides general explanations does not: connects archaeological cultures to specific past peoples
Which of the following features are indicative of malnourishment during childhood?
does: irregular tooth enamel growth (enamel hypoplasia), Harris lines does not: intentional cranial modification, accumulation of bone tissue
postprocessual archaeology
emphasizes the specific context, stresses the role of the individual, and avoids generalizations
Identify the ethical questions that surface as a result of NAGPRA
ethical dilemma: Should archaeologists be allowed to excavate on indigenous burial grounds? Who owns indigenous human remains? & Should ancient human remains be returned to their descendant communities or studied scientifically? not an ethical dilemma: Who pays for indigenous excavations?
Identify whether the following museum activities are ethical or unethical
ethical: returning looted antiquities to their countries of origin & refusing antiquities with unknown origins unethical: accepting all gifted antiquities for scientific study & exhibiting questionably obtained materials
____ is a system of moral principles that identifies what is right and wrong. Taking this into consideration is important in all branches of archaeology
ethics
Identify the examples of processual archaeology
example: a paper explaining the origins of farming worldwide, a flow chart explaining the rise of cities, a systems model identifying the causes of societal collapse not an example: a paper highlighting the inherent subjectivity of research
Identify the examples of ethnoarchaeology
examples: An archaeologist living with present-day hunter-gatherers to investigate their dietary habits, An archaeologist studying how modern hunter-gatherers make stone tools not examples: An archaeologist undertaking an excavation in a city, An archaeologist developing a systems model for the collapse of Classic Maya society
Postprocessual Archaeology
explanations of the past are intrinsically subjective
Public archaeology usually takes place through academic conferences organized in universities
false
T/F: There is an agreed and accepted way of setting out to understand the human past
false
The 'Elgin Marbles' are named after Lord Elgin for being the first to discover the marble sculptures at the Parthenon
false; names after Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
Bioarchaeological investigations usually begin in the ____ culture because ____ culture is crucial when analyzing skeletal remains.
field; context
culture history
focuses on description without the use of theory
Match each criterion of the "recognition of cult" with the relevant type of evidence
focusing of attention: altar boundary zone: separate spaces for people versus deity participation and offering: feast presence of the deity: deity symbolized in material form or by an image
When archaeologists imposed their own gender ideology in interpreting a Frankish grave slab, they mistakenly assumed that
grooming hair was a feminine activity associated with women
Identify the statements that correctly describe how ethnoarchaeological approaches are helpful to archaeologists
helpful: Ethnoarchaeology helps archaeologists understand that archaeological assemblages cannot be grouped into regional cultures, Ethnography helps archaeologists develop ideas about how material culture may have been used in the past not helpful: Ethnoarchaeology helps archaeologists develop objective facts about the past, Ethnoarchaeology helps archaeologists understand major societal shifts in the past
Dr. Crossland compares the African Burial Ground to the Trinity Church Cemetery to demonstrate:
how racism led to different treatments of these burial grounds over time
In Catalhoyuk dwellings, which feature was most closely associated with ancestor veneration?
human burials
How people lived also impacted their bodies, as the case for the origins of agriculture demonstrated that women's work
in grinding grain led to arthritis in their feet and back
Different features and patterns in dentition are some of the best indicators of age. Identify the accurate dental indicators of age.
indicator: wear on teeth, eruption and loss of deciduous teeth not an indicator: dental modifications
Arthritis, or joint disease, among the ABG population indicated that
individuals of all ages suffered from hard physical labor.
Identify which of the following approaches would be considered interpretive approaches
interpretive: postprocessual archaeology, agency theory not interpretive: processual archaeology
"Catch and release" is a methodology in Indigenous archaeology because:
it respects tribal beliefs that artifacts should be returned to the land.
Bioarchaeologists can observe different conditions, such as scurvy, through telltale signs left on skeletal remains. What is the cause of scurvy?
lack of vitamin C
Identify the limitations of ethnoarchaeology
limitations: Ethnoarchaeology is an indirect approach, Ethnoarchaeologists must be careful not to draw simple ethnographic parallels not a limitation: Ethnoarchaeology is a direct approach, Ethnoarchaeology does not provide any new teachings about archaeology
Identify the main questions that processual archaeologists attempt to answer
main: why state societies rise and fall, how urbanization develops not main: how the scientific approach can be subjective, how individuals affect societal change
The skull is useful for determining sex due to a number of skeletal differences between males and females. Identify whether the following features are characteristic of males or females.
male: larger skull, heavier brow ridge (zygomatic arch) female: smaller jaw (mandible)
For processual archaeologists, "culture" was generally defined as:
man's extrasomatic means of adaptation
Who owns the past?
no one
What is the correct term for the study of skeletal remains?
osteology
The ____ best indicator of sex. These bones are ____ in females.
pelvis is; wider
Children buried at the African Burial Ground (ABG) suffered from malnourishment, as indicated by
porotic hyperostosis, which results in a spongy, pitted cranium
Identify the positive contributions of the New Archaeology
positive: challenges traditional approaches, uses scientific method not positive: de-emphasizes the use of theory, applies universal laws to human culture
Identify some of the problems in culture-historical approaches to archaeology
problem: Archaeological cultures were connected to specific past peoples, Similarities in material cultures from different locations were explained by migration not a problem: Diffusion of culture was largely ignored, Postprocessual approaches were relied on too much in culture-historical approaches
____ archaeology involves the use of evolutionary theory and law-like formations
processual
Reasons why public archaeology is important
reasons: Public awareness of preservation issues can help overcome them, The public has a right to know about its own heritage, & We all must take responsibility for the protection of our heritage not a reason: The public must assist in archaeological excavations
Based on the Keats article: "Decolonizing anthropology" involves:
reconnecting with Indigenous peoples on an equal basis.
In "Return to Country", one example of Indigenous archaeology in practice includes:
research collaboration between Aboriginal Australians and archaeologists.
____ is easier to determine in the skeletons of adults while ____ is easier to determine in the skeletons of children and adolescents
sex, age
Religion during the early and middle periods at Catalhoyuk served to:
solidify social ties and interdependence between people
Which of the following attributes is true of stoneware?
some have a dimpled "orange peel" surface
One of the reasons why African Americans were angry about the African Burial Ground site was because:
the city was disturbing burials to construct a building on this sacred ground.
Based on the Keats article: One example of how oral traditions have proven to be a reliable line of evidence for what happened in the past is:
the migration story of the Tlingit ancestors.
Processual Archaeology
the past can be recovered objectively
Definition of paleopathology.
the study of ancient disease, including skeletal abnormalities
In Indigenous archaeology, there can be a problem with classifying evidence as either "natural" or "cultural" because:
there are Indigenous groups who view unmodified environments as cultural and important to their traditions
T/F: Postprocessualists argued that archaeology cannot provide an objective view of the past
true
Main features used to estimate the age of death
used: fusion of sutures of skull bones, fusion of the ends of articulated bones (epiphyses), eruption sequence of teeth not used: evidence of trauma
In which of the following cases has modern DNA been used?
used: the divergence of Homo sapiens from an apelike ancestor, the spread of Neolithic farmers into Europe not used: determining instances of cannibalism, finding examples of violence in the past
Match the different stakeholders of the past to their respective intentions for archaeological materials
visibility and respect: indigenous groups scientific inquiry: archaeologists & indigenous groups money: looters
Malnutrition and disease leave their marks on bones in various ways. Identify the main ways that bones can be changed due to health conditions during an individual's lifetime.
ways: bone loss, bone growth, altered bone structure not ways: bone strengthening
Historically, what have nationalist and religious extremists done with cultural heritage?
ways: destroy it, enhance national identity, stir up conflict not a way: unify nations
Dealing with human remains is an ethical concern and Dr. Crossland discussed how Native Americans
were denied their traditional burial rites, now have a process for the return of their ancestors' remains through the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, were treated as objects for scientific study