What is Archaeology?
Enlightenment
An era of systematization of archaeology and introduction of scientific method/ theorizing and hypotheses. It took placce between the 18th-19th century.
Three Age System
Classification of prehistoric past -Stone -Bronze -Iron
Nicholas Steno
Created "Law of Superposition" (17th century)
Charles Lyell
Creator of the "Principles of Geology"(18th-19th century)
Christian Jurgenson Thomsen
Creator of the three age system
CRM
Cultural Resource Management (emerges in 60's-70's) -Concern with aboriginal culture's and ethical methods for excavation -Seek indigenous perspective
Ecological/Evolutionary Approaches
Culture change results from communal responses to stresses in the relationship between human societies and their ecosystem.
Uniformatism
Natural processes occurring over long periods of time to form the earth
Theory
The overall framework within which a researcher operates.
John Lloyd Stephans & Fredrick Catherwood
These two travelled throughout Belize exploring ancient Mayan Cities ( Chiapas, Yucatan). Instilling in public that archaeology may be taken up as recreational sport (a colonial enterprise). (Golden Age)
Squir & Davis
These two were the first to survey and excavate ancient earthworks in America. Looked for functions of earthworks, burial mounds, and forts. Studied most importantly Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, Hopewell Platform pipes. (Golden Age)
Catastrophism
Tied with religious beliefs. The belief that the earth was laid down after the great flood, and that geological changes did not occur.
Golden Age of Discovery
(1840-1960) Discovery rooted in Colonialism. Excavation for aesthetic purposes, artifacts could be found in peoples homes as a sort of travelogue. Examples; -Auten Henry Layard -John Lloyd Stephans & Fredrick Catherwood -Squier & Davis
General Pitt-Rivers
(1880-1900) Excavated Roman Burial Mounds -Called for Seriation of artifacts discovered by type when placed in Museums -Artifacts were to be cataloged and Collected (nothing left behind) -Artifact attributes were to be recorded (Great Scientific Rigor)
Sir Flinders Petrie
(1890) Father of Seriation and Relative Dating Method -Studied: Egypt, Southwest Asia, Palestine Tel el-Hesi -Detailed excavation methods; concern with context -Relative dating : Similarities determine time frame context
Great Scientific Rigor
(1920's onward) Excavation methods were of greater concern. Destruction of any type of evidence in the attempt to gain some time of aesthetically appealing material artifact became a lesser common act among the Archaeological community.Examples: -General Pitt-Rivers -Sir Flinders Petrie
Fields of Archaeology
1.Classical 2.Historical 3.Industrial 4.Prehistoric 5.Ethnoarchaeology
Four Fields of Anthropology
1.Linguistic 2.Biological 3.Socio-cultural 4.Archaeological
Diffusionism
Assumption that many major human inventions originated in one place, then diffused to other parts of the world as a result of trade, migration, cultural contact, or exploration. (now discredited)
Principles of Geology
Belief that earth has a very long history + Uniformatism Slow geological processes produce continuous changes to earth's surface (Charles Lyell)
Charles Darwin
Believed that evolutionary principles can be used to understand life on earth.
William Smith
Believed that natural processes such as erosion, weathering, and sedimentation developed the earth. Father of STRATIGRAPHY!!!!!
Sumerian Civilization
Earliest literate society in the world
Sumerian Civilizations
Earliest literate society in the world
Auten Henry Layard
Excavation of Syrian Sites in Iraq --> Introduction of West to Assyria --> Discovered Ninevah remains --> (Golden Age)
David Boyle
First Archaeologist in Ontario.
Haquero
Looters of south american lost tombs
Thomas Jefferson
Made first stratigraphic excavation in the Americas (Virginia specifically) in the 1780's.
Development of Modern Scientific Archaeology
Founded by: -Invention of modern scientific excavation techniques -Use of multidisciplinary approaches to study person vs. environment -Increasing impact of science on archaeology -Refinement of archaeological theory
Law of Superposition
Sediments exist on top of pre-existing sediments (Nicholas Steno)
Unilinear Evolution
Starting with savagery and culminating in a "State of Civilization"
Archaeologists
Study changes in human cultures over long periods of time
Archaeology
Study of ancient human behaviour based on surviving material remains of the past
Palynology
Study of minute fossil pollen grains as a means of studying ancient environments.
Cultural Ecology
Study of the ecological relationships between human cultures and their environment. (Julian Stewart)
Direct Historical Approach
To work backwards from well-documented historic levels far into prehistory.
Antiquarians
Wealthy collectors who saw excavation as a sport to gain An Artifact centered paradigm. There is no attempt to understand artifacts purpose. (existed through to the 1860's)
