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Hominid

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Must be bipedal! A fossil form that played some genetic role in our evolution and can be our direct ancestor or cousin. The term is based upon both evidence from the fossil record and comparisons between modern humans and our closest relations...the apes.

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Australopithicus afarensis (Lucy)

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Circa 4 - 3 mya Only recovered from East African Sites - Hadar Brain Size 400-440cc 3 to 3.5 tall Earliest well-documented hominids

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Homo habilis

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"Handy Man" 2.2-1.6 mya 600-800cc brain, ave is 680 Eat Africa and further Made Olduwan tools Still long arms

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radiocarbon dating

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Based on radioactive isotope of Carbon (C14) Carbon (C14) decays into Nitrogen Half-life of 5,730 years Must be organic material Date back to 50,000 years ago New technique, accelerator mass spectrometry, can date back 70,000 years ago

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Homo erectus

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"Upright Man" 1.6 mya to around 300,000 years ago Brain size 1,000 cc First to leave Africa (ignoring new claims) Africa, Asia, Europe Acheulian hand axe

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WT 15000 (Turkana/Nariolotome boy) Site

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East Africa Lake Died 1.6 mya 9-13 years old brain size 800 cc, 5'3" tall primitive skull Identical body proportions to modern humans

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Zhoukoudian (Dragon Bone Cave) Site

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Cave site in China Evidence for controlled use of fire Deposits ranging from 700,000 - 200,000 years ago Only two teeth are surviving from what was found before WWII

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Dmanisi Site

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1.8 mya; Eastern Europe. Homo erectus older male with one tooth; means he required assistance for food; social organization and relationship; tools also found

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Atapuerca Sites

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Gran Dolina - 800,000 bp or older deposits skeletons and stone tools, many animal species and evidence of cannibalism. Sima de los Huesos - 350-500,000 bp, cave bear bones and archaic humans, 1st purposeful burials

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Lascaux Cave Site

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France. Most important collection of Upper Paleolithic art in the world. Many paintings of a variety of animals.

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Chauvet Cave Site

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France. Painted Red dots....prints made with palms of right hands. Paintings of rhinoceroses, lions and bears.

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New DNA Evidence - Neanderthal; Denisovans

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Latest findings...a third new genetic ancient population Siberia, Indonesia, Australia Modern Humans have part of their DNA 800,000 bp

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Olduwan pebble-choppers

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Sharp edged cobblers. created by knocking flakes of stones.

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Acheulian hand axe

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Discovered in France. Circa 1.4 to 300,000 years ago by Homo Erectus.

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Mousterian tools

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Made by Neandertals. Symmetric, regular flakes, using sophisticated techniques. Diverse tool kit including side scrapers, points, and denticulates. Hafting wooden handle to stone - HUNTING Levallois technique involves 3 steps

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Hadar Site

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Ethiopia, Key place for finding earliest humans. Lucy

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Laetoli Site

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Tanzania, Conclusive Evidence of our first steps.

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Olduvai Site

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Serengeti Plain. Leakys began excavation. Olduwan pebble chopers. Trail of biological and behavioral evolution

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Schoningen Site

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Germany. Spear site and many animal bones found

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Klasies River Mouth Caves Site

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Very South Africa. One of the longest continuous sequences of human habitation in the world. 120,000 ya earliest burials of anatomically correct humans. Evidence of cannibalism.

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Dolni Vestonice Site

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Czech Republic. Mammoth hunters in Eastern Europe. Mammoth bone structures or huts. Older woman burial with clay art.

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Lake Mungo Site

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Austrailia. The spread of Homo sapiens sapiens. Oldest example of cremation.

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Monte Verde Site

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Chile, occupations includes wooden foundations, hearths, mammoth hide fragments. Radio carbon dates from 14,800 - 13,500 bp!

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Kennewick Man Site

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Washington. One of the earliest human skeletons in the new world. Stone projectile point in pelvis. Intentionally placed in a grave. Closet DNA match to original Japanese-Asians.

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Vedbaek Site

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Denmark. Mother and infant son on swan wing.

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Carrier Mills Site

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Illinois, Black earth middens.

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'Ain Mallaha Site

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Jordan near Lake Huleh, Levant. Natufians. dated to 12,00 bp, the remains of an elderly human and a four to five month old puppy were found buried together,

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Gobekli Tepe Site

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Turkey. Hilltop sanctuary. Oldest human made Stone structure. Series of shrines or centers associated with large stone architecture and art.

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Abu Hureyra Site

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Syria. largest early post-glacial communities. Early farmers and hunter gathers. Farming and herding. Tell mound found when new dam was built.

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Jericho Site

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Israel. One of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth...over 20 successive settlements. Plastered and painted skull. Circular dwellings were built of clay and straw.

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Catalhoyuk Site

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Central Turkey. First City.

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Mehrgarh Site

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Kachi Plain, South Asia. Anthromorphic figurines.Ceramic Vessels used. Melting copper as well. Drill bits and bow drill.

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Ban-po-ts'un Site

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China. Village with over 100 houses (many subterranean) surrounded by a defensive and drainage ditch. Grew hemp, spindle whorls for making thread.

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Khok Phanom Di Site

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Thailand. Documentation of spread of rice to Southeast Asia. Mortuary Rituals.

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Guila Naquitz Cave Site

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Mexico. Preceramic seasonal campsite. Small overhang. "white cliff"

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Tehuacan Site

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Mexico. Evolution of early Maize. Sceheduled seasonal movements for game and food.

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Guitarrero Cave Site

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Andes Mountains. Near Chile. Origins of domestication of plants. Twining or finger weaving. Ate tubers and lima beans.

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Swartkrans Site

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South Africa Early Hominids killed by leopards and dragged up into tree.

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Kalambo Falls/Olorgesailie Site

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East Africa Homo Erectus Food Gathering

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Pincevent Site

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France Reindeer hunters

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Archaeology

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Prehistoric - Studies past cultures through material remains. Historic - Studies cultures of the recent past by means of a combination of written records and archaeological excavation.

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Contract Archaeology (CRM)

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Cultural Resources Management. Booming field right now. Involved in laws with regard to environmental impact and preservation. Crosses the boundaries of salvage and research archaeology investigations.

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Applied Anthropology

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Utilizes the findings of cultural, archaeological, linguistic and biological studies to solve practical problems affecting health, education, security and prosperity of human beings in many cultural settings. Can include forensics, contract archaeology, medical anthropology.

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Explanatory-Processual Period

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1960-now. Everything changes. Lewis Binford was the founder of explanatory (processual) archaeology.

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Culture History

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Learned, socially acquired traditions of thoughts and behavior.

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Jorvik Center Site

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1970 York, England -Remains of part of the Viking-Age city trading center -Recreated the village to make a small museum, used skulls to recreate faces, language, smell, etc.

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Artifacts

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Humanly made or modified portable objects.

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Ecofacts

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Organic and environmental remains or other unmodified materials that result from human activity.

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Features

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Traces of human activity on the landscape that cannot be moved or disturbed without losing the meaning.

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Site

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The accumulation of artifacts and/or ecofacts, representing a place where people lived or carried out certain activities.

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Context

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Includes information about provenience (location, matrix, and association) as well as understanding of formation processes.

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Salvage Archaeology

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-Accidental disclosures (land and sea) -came from maritime laws, shipwrecks

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Surface Survey

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Basic technique, often a pedestrian survey. Conducted for two reasons: 1) large scale information - assesses use of landscape/environment over time 2) locate sites for future excavation

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Datum Point

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A fixed point on the landscape that is THE reference point for all locations used at your site.

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Grid System

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Network of horizontal squares placed on the site's surface to aid in location control.

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Stratigraphy (strata)

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The analysis of the distinct cultural and geological/soil layers at sites.

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test pits

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-often done first to find out nature of soil & deposits (typically 3'x3') -usually placed in a formal pattern on site.

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block excavation

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-used to see village arrangements -larger single (or combined) excavation unit -size depends on project/field situation -often created upon expansion of test pit

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Carrier Mills Site

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A Middle Archaic settlement in southern Illinois. Black Earth site is here (distinct black middens). Grave goods are placed with the dead.

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Hopewell Site

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Prehistoric artisans and mound builders in Ohio known for trade and mound building.

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Snaketown Site

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A Hohokam Community in Arizona, had pithouse villages and ball courts.

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Draper Site

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A late prehistoric Iroquoian village in Ontario known for longhouses where multiple families lived inside.

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Cahokia Site

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The largest prehistoric community north of Mexico in Illinois. Monks Mound is located here and is the largest prehistoric structure in the US. Monumental Architecture.

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Moundville Site

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A large civic ceremonial center located on a bluff overlooking the Black Warrior River in Alabama. Grave Offerings. Rich burials with non-local materials.

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Vedbaek Site

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Prehistoric communities in Mesolithic Denmark (near current Copenhagen) known for more permanent settlements and the dead began to be buried in cemeteries. Mother with infant son on swan wing.

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Poverty Point Site

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Ancient earthworks in northeastern Louisiana located on Macon Ridge in the floodplain of the Mississippi River. The main complex is a set of six concentric ridges that form a semicircle.

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Mound City Site

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A Hopewell burial mound complex at Mound City, Ohio

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Chaco Canyon Site

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A prehistoric regional center in the four corners region known for long distance exchange. New Mexico. Ancestral Pueblo.

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Ozette Site

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A whaling community on the coast of Washington.

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Iceman Site

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In the high Alps between Italy and Austria. Preserved in ice and had a substantial amount of gear with him. Wounds and an arrow in his back.

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Stonehenge Site

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A temple to the sun on England's Salisbury Plain.

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Tollund Man Site

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The head of a man from Denmark scrificially executed and put in a bog.

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Franchiti Cave Site

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Greece. cave on the Mediterranean. Bones of fish, domesticated plants.

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Charavines Site

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Lakeside Village in France.

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Knossos Site

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The mythical halls of the Minotaur on the island of Crete.

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Mycenae Site

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Fortress of the warrior-kings of Bronze Age Greece.

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Borum Shoj Site

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A Bronze Age tomb in Denmark

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Maiden Castle Site

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Dorset, England. Hill forts. Remains from the Neolithic through the Roman Period.

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Varna Site

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Golden Burials on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria.

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Vix Site

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A princess burial from the Iron Age, France.

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Paleoethnobotany

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The study of prehistoric use of plants. The study of plant remains from archaeological sites.

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Childe's & Redman's 5 Primary Characteristics of State Development

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1 - Cities - dense, nucleated demographic concentrations (one capital ruling a territory) 2 - Full-time labor specialization 3 - State organization, based on territorial residence rather than kin connections 4 - Class stratification - the presence of a privileged ruling stratum 5 - Concentration of surplus

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Origins of Agriculture World-Wide

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Old World (Near East) 10,000 bp New World (Mexico) 9,000 bp North America (Mississippi Valley) 5-4,000 bp Similar Types of Plants - Most are different kinds of grasses all descended from wheat, they grow fast and have lots of seeds. Similar in Lifestyle Characteristics - weedy or weed-like, grow quickly (one year), produce lots of seeds, adapted to disturbed environments, lots of sun and nutrients.

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Broad Spectrum Evolution

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- In many areas humans began to shift their focus from a few preferred resources to using many different foodstuffs, some not as easy to 'catch' or process...or not as yummy. Out of this comes corn, wheat, barley, goats, pigs. - Territories began to shrink. Not only did the people to environment shift but so did the people to people aspect. This can been seen in the dramtic increase in more diverse STYLES of artifacts, lifestyles (housing, etc.), languages. Styles may have developed to show personal identity, status, markers of roles in groups, identify you vs. me. - Not only is there an increase in artifact styles, with an increase in population & shrinking territories there are also changes in the different tools made for different tasks. - Can trade, but just can't move and migrate.

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Explosion of Cultural Evolution with the Emergence of Modern Humans

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Cave paintings, art, symbolism When people become food producers that changes everything. domestication of plants and animals. formal dwellings develop pottery develop irrigation techniques

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The World of the Last Ice Age (cave paintings; art; symbolism)

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There are several world wide patterns: - Slow but steady growth in population which occurs across the globe from the old world to the new world. - These populations are foragers. When you draw upon you local environment for all resources from food to shelter any increase in population will affect the balance...the adaptation...that humans have with the environment.

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Impact of Glaciers - Peopling of the New World

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At the height of glaciations sea-levels are lowered 13,500 to 10,000 years ago. This exposes an area known as Beringia, linking Siberia and Alaska. Paleoindians could have traveled over land, or could have rafted around the coastline. Probably both. There is eveidence of the same culture up and down the coast of the Americas at the same time...this indicates they did not "walk." Possible that humans were here by 18,000 bp.

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First Plants Domesticated as Crops and Locations

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Wheat and Barley - Near East Rice - Southeast Asia Millet - Africa Maize, Beans, Squash - Central America Potatoes - Peru Sunflower, Goosefoot, Maygrass, Little Barley - Midwest

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The Natufians

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Culture to make the first critical steps toward plant domestication. These people lived in small semi-sedentary communities in the Near East (Levant) between 12-10,000 bp. Had domesticated dogs.

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Spread of Early Farming Communities

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- Settled village life ranging from several related families to perhaps several hundred people. - Domestic architecture with year round formal dwellings created - Small fields of wheat and barley (and other crops) with flocks of sheep and goats (dry land farming) - Some have what appear to be small platforms (temples?) in the center of these communities.

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Egypt - Importance of the Nile

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Land of the floodplain is extremely fertile, strong floods brought life to the narrow valley. The Nile can be used for irrigation to areas farther away. Both can then support crops such a legumes, barley, figs, reeds, papyrus. Also supports animals such as sheep, goats, and cattle. Provided a travel route for trading.

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Egypt - Date for Origins of Civilization

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At the end of the ice age rain fall patterns began to change. 10,000-8,000 - Nomadic hunters and foragers roamed and camp out along the Nile. Began to bury dead in cemeteries close to Nile. Domesticated crops (plants/animals) came in from near east. Began to settle down along flood plain as small communities of farmers. 5,500 - Villages grew and trade became important, control of trade and resources along nile. High status families emerged becoming leaders of independent territories. 5,000 - Egypt became divided into to major states - Upper and lower Ruler, Narmer from the South, conquered the north and Egypt became one large state society. Distinctive Social Pattern Emerges Social elites and commoners Non-elites could move up depending on skill - such as imhotep Pharaohs were seen as earthly manifestations of gods...they kept maat (world order amid chaos)

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Beringia

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Beringia, linking Siberia and Alaska during last ice age.

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Clovis Culture

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Highlighted by a very distinctive and beautiful stone tool technology: Clovis fluted spearpoints. Sites are small and thinly scattered across the Americas Highly nomadic hunter-gathers adapted to the last of the Ice Age environment.

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Meadowcroft Rockshelter Site

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Boarder of Ohio and PA, south of Pittsburgh. Deep deposits with numerous stratified occupations. Oldest evidence of human habitation in North America. Over 50 radio carbon dates spanning from 30,000 bp. Earliest dates around 19,000 bp. Clovis levels and traces of human occupation below these levels.

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Megafauna

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Big fierce animals. The last ice age change was apparently much more rapid and much more severe they could not survive like other interglacial periods. There was a rapid warmup within 70-100 years. Carnivores died before their prey.

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Ubaid Culture

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Organized along the lines of a chiefdom. Characterized by a distinctive type of pottery, this culture originated in ancient Iraq about 8,000 bp. The first larger towns emerge and social stratification is an important aspect of this development. Later develop irrigation techniques.

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Uruk Culture

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6-5,000 bp. First large cities and true states emerge. Mixture of achieved and inherited status. Ziggurat Eanna Precinct, Uruk - house of the date palms Inanna - Lady of the date palms World's first monumental center.

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Babylon Site

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Temple complexes were identified with gods and goddesses from whom they drew power and who were said to reside in them.

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Tell Halaf Site

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Syria, Pottery bowl developed for storage and cooking of grains.

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Nimrud Site

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Iraq. relief sculptures, and more recently, the tombs of the three queens with magnificent jewelry are important finds, enormous defensive walls.

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Innovation of Pottery, metal, written language, etc.

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Pottery appears shortly after agriculture develops. Natufians - Bowls developed for storage and cooking of grains. Ubaid Culture develops irrigation techniques and first use of metal for ornaments of elites and tools. copper, bronze, gold. They have unique pottery. Trade became important and cargo ownership was typically marked from a carved stone -- a seal. Out of this was born the first notation system -- written language. They had clay tablets with writing and counting system.

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Manis Site

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Washington, pre-clovis mastadon hunting. Bone projectiles used to kill mastadon.

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Le Tuc d'Audoubert Cave Site

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France, 14,000 year old bull and cow bison mud sculpture on rock. Foot prints in muddy floor.

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Lindenmeier Site

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Colorado. Folsom campsite dated to 8,600 bc. more than 600 projectile points, 15,000 animal bones.

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Burning Tree Mastodon

answer

Mastodon found in the Burning Tree Golf Course, Ohio. Had stomach contents in tact.

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Tell Qaramel Site

answer

Syria, residents of these small round houses ate wild wheat about 10,200 years ago. Mint and Sage were found imprinted in mud, as well as spring wild flowers.

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Chiefdom

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Involves the first true "political" office, that of the chief, a role that remains the same no matter who occupies the office of the chief. - Usually along kinship lines - Typically inherited status -Can tell by burials that they aren't earning it. Now kids and teens of families have elite burials.

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Two Basic Elements of a City

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1 - high concentration of people in a confined area 2 - embedded within a hierarchical settlement network

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Ur Site

answer

Royal tombs. - Two headed human bulls held by heroic male - Ram in the thicket - Head Dresses - Great Death Pit: gold, silver, lapis, copper, shell

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Same Patterns emerging worldwide 5-4,000 bp

answer

- Large populations based upon agriculture found new mechanisms to integrate those large numbers of peoples... - Elites, priesthoods and temples, administration, writing, trade, etc.

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Eridu Site

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Early Ceremonial Center in Mesopotamia. Remains of large stepped temple mound.

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Harappa and Mohenjo-daro Site

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Indus Valley (Pakistan), Urbanism and the rise of civilization. The great Bath.

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Hierakonpolis Site

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Emergence of the Egyptian Civilzation. Narmer's Stone. Cemetery.

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Giza and Dynastic Egypt Site

answer

Pyramids and Pharaohs. First Step pyramid

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An-yang Site

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A late Shang city in China. Sacrificial burials. Inscribed oracle bone. City Wall, palace.

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Xianyang Site

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China, Terracotta soldiers and the Qin dynasty

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Angkor Site

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Maritime Kingdoms in Southeast Asia

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Jenne-jeno Site

answer

Ancient urban center in West Africa. Flood plain of Niger River. Funerary urn.

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Great Zimbabwe Site

answer

An important trading center in south central Africa.

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San Jose Mogote Site

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A 3,500 year old community in Mexico's Southern HIghlands. Carved stone of sacrificed captive.

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San Lorenzo and LaVenta Site

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The roots of Mesoamerica civilization on the coastal plain of southern Veracruz. Colossal carved head - The King.

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El Mirador Site

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Guatemala, Beginnings of Ancient Myan Civilization.Tigre pyramid complex.

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Monte Alban Site

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A hilltop city in the Valley of Oaxaca Mexico.

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Loma de la Coyotera Site

answer

Skull Rack...Monte Alban people sacked and burned the small town.

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Teotihuacan Site

answer

One of the World's largest cities in AD 500. Mexico City Basin. Avenue of the Dead. Pyramid of the Moon and Pyramid of the Sun.

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Tikal Site

answer

Maya city in the rainforest of Guatemala. Tall temples...temple of the great jaguar. Monumental records of Stela 29. Long Count system

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El Tajin Site

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Mesoamerican ball game - a ritual game with symbolic and political importance.

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Palenque Site

answer

A classic center at the edge of the Maya lowlands. Temple of the inscriptions. Lord Pakal's tomb. Jade Mask

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Tula Site

answer

Capital city of the Toltecs. North of modern Mexico City. Large carved Atlantean columns. Obsidian blades.

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Chichen Itza Site

answer

The most magnificent late Maya center in Yucatan. Cenote of Sacrifice. Puuc style architecture. Ball court. Temple of the warriors...carving of warriors arriving in canoes.

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Tenochtitlan Site

answer

The capital city of the Aztecs: the Venice of the new world.

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