Archaeological methods, dating techniques, and major sites and periods from an intro archaeology course.
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- What is stratigraphy in archaeology?
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The study of layers in archaeological deposits and how they relate to the sequence of human activity- What does the principle of superposition state?
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In undisturbed sites, layers deposited earlier are buried beneath layers deposited later- What is context in archaeology?
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The location, association, and relationship of an artifact to other materials at an excavation site- What is provenience?
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The precise three-dimensional location where an artifact was found during excavation- What is the difference between relative and absolute dating?
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Relative dating determines the sequence of events, while absolute dating assigns specific calendar dates- What is radiocarbon dating used for?
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Dating organic materials up to approximately 50,000 years old- What is the half-life of carbon-14?
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Approximately 5,730 years- What is potassium-argon dating?
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A dating technique used to determine the age of volcanic rocks and minerals- What is thermoluminescence dating?
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A dating method that measures the amount of light emitted when heated minerals are warmed- What is dendrochronology?
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A dating technique using the patterns of tree rings to determine age- What is a feature in archaeology?
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Non-portable evidence such as hearths, post holes, walls, or refuse pits- What is a midden?
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A concentration of discarded refuse and waste materials from human occupation- What is taphonomy?
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The study of how organisms and materials become buried and fossilized after death- What is typology in archaeology?
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The classification and analysis of artifacts based on their shared physical characteristics- What is seriation?
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A dating method based on the assumption that artifact styles change over time in a predictable sequence
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