Archaeology

Photo from my work at

Mammoth Cave National Park.

Archaeologists DO NOT:Study dinosaurs.

Just look for pretty or valuable objects.

Just pick up artifacts.

Spend all their time just digging.

Buy, sell, or put a price on artifacts.

What Is Archaeology?Archaeology is one of four sub-disciplines of Anthropology.Anthropology is the study of people and their biology and culture across space and time.Anthropology Subdisciplines:

ArchaeologyCultural AnthropologyLinguistic AnthropologyBiological or Physical Anthropology

Archaeology

Culture

Speech

&

Language

Biology of Man

What Is Archaeology?

Archaeology is the systematic, scientific recovery and analysis of artifacts in order to answer questions about past human culture and behavior.

Archaeology TermsSystematic: A consistent way of studying anything.

Science: Methods and knowledge of studying anything.

Recovery/ Analysis: To collect and study artifacts.

Artifact: Any item resulting from human activity.

Archaeology TermsQuestion-based: Archaeologists study artifacts in order to answer questions about how humans lived.

Past: Archaeologists study human cultures that are no longer living.

Culture: Any learned behavior that is shared with others.

History of ArchaeologyThe first archaeologists

Antiquarians or wealthy collectors of artifacts

Early ArchaeologyIt was a combination of several other sciences concerned with the evolution of man.

1817Danish archaeologist Christian Jurgensen Thomsen opened the National Museum of Antiquities in Copenhagen to the public.

1859 Origin of Species. Darwin publishes his book.

1920’sArchaeology became a fully fledged scientific discipline.

Christian Jurgensen Thomsen

Charles

Darwin

Early American ArchaeologyEarliest American settlers

They debate the origin of American Indians.

1880’sArchaeologists and anthropologists study Pueblo Indians as direct descendants of the first people in America.

1890’sCyrus Thomas of the Bureau of American Ethnology proves the “Moundbuilders” were indeed Native Americans. Indian burial mound in Georgia.

Modern Scientific Archaeology

1960’sThe invention of modern scientific excavation techniques

Using a multidisciplinary approach to study people.

Increasing impact of science on archaeology

Refinement of archaeological theory.

Dendrochronology

Botany

DNA

Academic Goals of ArcheologyCulture History

Sequence of events

How artifacts change over time

Explain why events happened.

Lifeways ReconstructionTechnology, subsistence, exchange, settlement, social organization, ideology, etc.

Culture ProcessTheoretical models on lifeways.

Photo from my work at Mammoth Cave National Park.

Applied Goals of ArchaeologyConveying the past as it’s known through archaeology.

The proper way to do archaeology.

Archaeology is a profession.

Public EducationMuseum exhibits

Television shows

Documentary films

Public lectures, digs, or workshops.

Archaeology SpecialtiesPrehistoric Archaeology

Before writing.

Historical ArchaeologyDocument/writing assisted

Classical ArchaeologyGreek and Roman

Biblical Archaeology

Underwater ArchaeologyShipwrecks or anything else under water.

Industrial ArchaeologyIndustrial Revolution and other modern structures

Egyptologists, Mayanists, Assyriologists

Study of specific civilizations or time periods.

Cultural Resource ManagementManagement and assesment of significant cultural resources.

PowerPoint created by Amy J McCray, 2005, updated 2007.

References

Applegate, Darlene. “Anth 130” In-class notes. Western Kentucky University, Spring 2004.

Fagan, Brian M. Archaeology: A Brief Introduction. New Jersey: Lindbriar Corp., 2003.

Society for American Archaeology. 19 September 2005. <http://www.saa.org/>.