ANT 253 - Anthropology terms
Order by
38 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Culture | A set of activities representing uniquely human group attributes such as values, beliefs, and practices |
| NAGPRA | A law that provides protection for Native American burials and helps groups have a voice in the treatment and study of individuals scientifically determined to be their biological ancestors |
| Ethnology | The use of ethnography to make a comparative study of multiple cultures or regions. |
| Material culture | The study of past populations based on archaeological excavation of goods and their interpretation through historical analogy |
| C14 Half-life | The measured rate of C14 decomposition. Half of the measurable C14 is lost every 5568 years |
| Paleoeconomy | This study only focuses on areas related to past economy and associated goods |
| Megaliths | Large stones that have been modified and often transported by humans |
| Linnaean classification | Classification of organisms by their taxa, genus, and species |
| Ethnography | A written study of a culture, often the result of extensive fieldwork |
| Number of identified specimens | Quantification system where each found part is counted as one specimen |
| Typology | An archaeological model for dividing artifacts into subgroups or categories to help determine their relationships |
| Excavation | The process of removing stratified layers to uncover archaeological evidence |
| survey | An archaeological method of searching a specified area for unknown archaeology sites or features |
| isostacy | The study of changes in the coastline of the earth's crust because of receding glaciers |
| stratigraphic control | The mapping and excavation of a site in layers, keeping artifacts separate by location and depth |
| eustacy | The study of changes in sea level because of glaciation |
| ecofact | Natural items associated with archaeological sites which are not modified by humans, but may give insights into diet, culture, and lifeways |
| archaeological site | A place where historic or prehistoric evidence of past human activity is preserved |
| zooarchaeology | The study of animal remains in an archaeological context |
| artifact | Any object made or modified by humans |
| Cultural Resources Management | The practice of managing traditional, historical, and material culture |
| paleoanthropology | The study of fossil hominid remains and any associated evidence such as footprints |
| Law of Superposition | The assumption that older sediment layers are on the bottom and younger layers are on the top |
| Applied archaeology | Archaeology that is dedicated to solving practical modern problems. Examples include conducting contract archaeology for development projects or using data to reintroduce old technologies |
| Law of association | The implication that objects recovered from the same archaeological layer under similar situations were most likely deposited at the same time |
| archaeology | The study of past human cultures through the materials and modified objects left behind |
| Archaeological restoration | The rebuilding of archaeological sites or features |
| Taphonomy | In archaeology, the study of how a site forms over time. In paleontology, the study of how organic remains become fossilized |
| anthropology | A discipline dedicated to the study of humans culturally and biologically |
| prehistory | The history of humankind before writing |
| soil horizons | visibly and texturally different layers within the soil |
| minimum number of individuals | A quantification system that attempts to identify how many individuals are present rather than the number of specimens |
| historic preservation | The practice of safeguarding structures deemed to have historical significance |
| stratigraphy | The successive formation of layers over time in an archaeological site |
| feature | Any non-portable artifact, such as a burial, wall, fire pit, or midden |
| culture area | A geographical region characterized by the presence of a homogeneous cultural group |
| preservation bias | The different preservation of archaeological material |
| cultural tradition | Any belief or activity that is passed on from one generation to the next within a human group |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.