ANTH - Chapter 3 MC Questions
The American Anthropological Association (AAA) has established a Code of Ethics that requires that anthropologists be guided by a principle that has been compared to a doctor's Hippocratic oath, which essentially says,
"do no harm"
Which of the following best describes how the subfield of archaeology differs from that of biological anthropology?
Archaeologists study the past by analyzing objects from dig sites; biological anthropologists study ancient human skeletons or living humans.
Which of the following correctly describes the flotation technique in archaeology?
Carbonized plant remains are the particles that float. It is expensive. It uses a series of very fine meshes and water.
Which of the following statements best describes the principle of superposition?
In an undisturbed set of strata, the oldest layer is deepest.
Which of the following does palynology do?
It helps to determine an ancient site's environment at the time it was inhabited.
During the past 100 years, the skeletal remains and artifacts from many Native American burials excavated by archaeologists became the property of museums and universities. What is the name of the law that now requires that they be returned to the original tribal groups?
NAGPRA
What is NAGPRA?
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
Which of the following statements best summarizes the ethical guidelines for North American anthropologists?
North American anthropologists should establish cooperative relationships with colleagues in the host countries in which they do their fieldwork.
In the methods of archaeology, what is the difference between systematic survey and excavation?
Systematic survey involves gathering information about settlement patterns across a region; excavation involves digging in selected sites.
Which of the following statements best describes how archaeologists do their work?
They systematically survey a region and excavate by digging through the layers at archaeological sites.
Measuring human proportions on skeletal remains from ancient sites as well as among modern human populations is known as
anthropometry
Which subfield of anthropology specializes in the study of the human past by studying material culture?
archaeology
In order to reconstruct ancient human biological and cultural features, anthropologists study ceramics, casts, metals, and other manufactured items known as
artifacts
The specialty in archaeology known as ______ is the study of human skeletons and associated artifacts, which are used to understand health, diet, and social status differences.
bioarchaeology
Which type of anthropologists study primate behavior and also the physical characteristics of ancient and modern humans?
biological
What is the term for the study of bone as a biological tissue?
bone biology
Some samples recovered from house floors or trash pits are processed using a technique called ______, which separates very small particles of plant remains and fish bones by using water and fine meshes.
flotation
Some biological anthropologists analyze human remains to provide legal evidence. This special type of anthropology is known as
forensic anthropology
What kind of physical anthropologists specialize in the study of human evolution?
paleoanthropologists
The study of ancient life through the fossil record is known as
paleontology
To study the ancient human past, archaeologists and physical anthropologists work with scientists in the field of ______ who study animal fossils.
paleontology
Which of the following is the study of ancient pollen to identify the plant resources that were part of the ancient environment at a site being excavated by anthropologists?
palynology
Microscopic crystals called ______ found at archaeological sites help identify wheat, maize, rice, or other early domesticated plants.
phytoliths
Sources of information for archaeologists studying sites primarily include
plant and animal remains, ceramics, and other artifacts.
Fossils
preserved bones, traces, and impressions of ancient life forms
Jane Goodall is a well-known scholar who has studied chimpanzees in their natural settings. The name of her subfield within biological anthropology is
primatology
Paleoanthropologists
search for evidence about human origins.
The archaeological study of settlement patterns over a large area is known as
systematic survey
When archaeologists excavate at home or abroad and when biological anthropologists conduct research with primates, they must take steps to ensure the protection of the materials, remains, and animals involved. Government agencies and other agencies grant permission to these anthropologists by giving
their informed consent.
Which of the following is true of phytoliths?
they don't decay
Which type of archaeologists are usually interested in styles of architecture and sculpture and work more in university departments with art historians rather than in anthropology departments?
classical
Equal-size sections of a grid in an archaeological excavation are called
collection units.
When construction sites reveal artifacts, impact studies may be required to assess the historical importance of the site. In this case, "salvage archaeology," also called ______, analyzes what is found at the site.
cultural resource management
Which of the following reflect ethical guidelines that anthropologists should follow when working abroad?
establishing ongoing collaborative relationships with colleagues in the host country including colleagues of the host country in planning research and obtaining funding
Paleoanthropologists
excavate ancient civilizations.
The most common way in which archaeologists work locally is
excavation
Some archaeologists make tools of deer antler to look like the tools used by PaleoIndians about 10,000 years ago. Which of the following specialties in archaeology would this work represent?
experimental archaeology
In archaeological excavations, collection units are marked off on the site using a ______ that allows researchers to identify the location of any object found at the site.
grid
Archaeologists who study ancient societies by using written records as guides and supplements to research are referred to as ______ archaeologists.
historical
When archaeologists excavate early colonial settlements in Jamestown, Virginia, this type of archaeology is known as
historical
Test pits are used to determine
how deep a site's deposits go.
Biological anthropologists use anthropometry to learn about which of the following aspects of humans?
human growth nutritional status human development
Which of the following best explains what biological anthropologists study?
living and recent humans and primates as well as ancient humans and primates
For bioarchaeologists, the remains of taller people can indicate
more fortunate members of a society.
Human skeletal remains from archaeological sites can be analyzed to identify specific types of disease and bodily afflictions. This specialty within biological anthropology is known as
paleopathology.
Archaeologists study settlement patterns primarily to reveal what kinds of information about prehistoric communities?
population estimates and degrees of social complexity
With _____ data, archaeologists can address many questions about the prehistoric communities that lived in a given area.
regional
Aerial photos and satellite images are forms of _____ used in site location, which is very valuable to anthropologists.
remote sensing
Cultural resource management focuses on managing the preservation of archaeological sites that are
threatened by modern development
In 1692, a major earthquake caused part of the city of Port Royal, Jamaica, to fall into the Kingston Harbor. ______ archaeologists now study the submerged city.
underwater