Archaeology Down to Earth

by Thomas, David Hurst; Kelly, Robert L.

• ISBN13: 9780495008583
• ISBN10: 0495008583
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-05
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

This new brief edition pairs two of archaeology's most recognized names-- David Hurst Thomas of the American Museum of Natural History and Robert L. Kelly of the University of Wyoming?to bring a passionate, down-to-earth introduction to archaeological method and theory to the classroom. Designed both for students who intend on pursuing a career in archaeology, as well as those who do not, the authors give students a more immediate, concrete impression of what the practice of archaeology is all about. They include well-chosen examples that show how archaeologists have worked through actual problems in the field and in the lab. After using this text, students will be better able to ask questions, solve problems, and discern "truth" from "fiction." Students will not only learn about the nature of archaeological data and how archaeologists do such things as archaeological survey and excavation, they will also develop their sense of scientific logic and gain a better understanding of what career opportunities are available for archaeologists. This edition is enhanced with new pedagogical features, many more photos and a completely new design to help students prioritize and learn the material presented. A rich array of supplemental resources includes a new companion website, as well as the option to use a new CD-ROM, DOING FIELDWORK: ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEMONSTRATIONS also developed by the authors.

Table of Contents

Preface	xvii
Meet Some Real Archaeologists	1	(22)
Preview	2	(1)
Introduction	2	(3)
Who Was ``Kennewick Man''?	2	(1)
Who Controls Human Remains?	3	(1)
Looking Closer: American Indian or Native American?	3	(1)
Kennewick and American Archaeology	4	(1)
The Western World Discovers Its Past	5	(4)
Looking Closer: AD/BC/BP . . . Archaeology's Alphabet Soup	6	(1)
Archaeology and Society	6	(1)
The Discovery of Deep Time	7	(1)
Archaeology and Native Americans	8	(1)
Founders of Americanist Archaeology	9	(5)
A Genteel Antiquarian	9	(1)
C. B. Moore
America's First-Generation ``Working'' Archaeologist	10	(1)
Nels Nelson
Founder of Anthropological Archaeology	11	(1)
A. V. ``Ted'' Kidder
A Master of Time	12	(1)
James A. Ford
Americanist Archaeology at Mid-Twentieth Century	13	(1)
Revolution In Archaeology: An Advancing Science	14	(4)
Moses in the Wilderness	14	(2)
Walter W. Taylor
Visionary with a Message	16	(1)
Lewis R. Binford
In His Own Words: The Challenge of Archaeology	17	(1)
Lewis R. Binford
Archaeology in the Twenty-First Century	18	(3)
Archaeology Comes of Age	18	(2)
Kathleen Deagan
In Her Own Words: The Potential of Historical Archaeology	20	(1)
Kathleen Deagan
Conclusion: Archaeology's Future	21	(1)
Summary	21	(1)
Media Resources	22	(1)
The Structure of Archaeological Inquiry	23	(25)
Preview	24	(1)
Introduction	24	(1)
So, What's an Anthropological Approach?	24	(2)
The Culture Concept in Anthropology	26	(1)
Scientific and Humanistic Approaches in Archaeology	27	(5)
What's a Scientific Approach?	27	(1)
How Science Explains Things: The Moundbuilder Myth	28	(2)
The Scientific Method	30	(2)
What's a Humanistic Approach?	32	(1)
Levels of Archaeological Theory	32	(4)
Low-Level Theory	33	(1)
Middle-Level Theory	34	(1)
High-Level Theory	35	(1)
Paradigms in Archaeology	36	(7)
Cultural Materialism	36	(1)
Processual Archaeology: Materialism at Work in Archaeology	37	(1)
Archaeological Ethics: Does Archaeology Put Native Americans on Trial?	38	(1)
Postmodernism	39	(1)
Deconstruction and the Maya	39	(1)
Postprocessual Archaeology: Postmodernism at Work in Archaeology	40	(1)
Processual-Plus?	41	(1)
Profile of an Archaeologist: An Academic Archaeologist	42	(1)
The Structure of Archaeological Inquiry	43	(3)
Testing Ideas	44	(1)
Reconstructing the Past	44	(1)
Looking Closer: Contrasting Views of Archaeology at Zuni Pueblo	45	(1)
Roger Anyon
T. J. Ferguson
Conclusion: Scientist or Humanist, Processualist or Postprocessualist?	46	(1)
Summary	46	(1)
Media Resources	47	(1)
Doing Fieldwork: Surveying for Archaeological Sites	48	(25)
Preview	49	(1)
Introduction	49	(1)
Good Old Gumshoe Survey	49	(2)
Surface Archaeology in the Carson Desert	51	(4)
Looking Closer: How Do Archaeological Sites Get Their Names?	51	(1)
Some Sampling Considerations	52	(1)
Getting the Sample	53	(1)
Doing the Work	54	(1)
What We Learned	55	(1)
What about Things That Lie below Ground?	55	(2)
Looking Closer: The Surveyor's Toolkit	56	(1)
How to Find a Lost Spanish Mission	57	(2)
The Transect Survey	57	(1)
The Power Auger Survey	58	(1)
GPS Technology and Modern Surveys	59	(1)
Remote Sensing: Data at a Distance	59	(3)
Looking Closer: Anasazi or Ancestral Pueblo?	60	(1)
High-Altitude Imagery	60	(1)
The Ancient Roads of Chaco Canyon	60	(2)
Remote Sensing at Mission Santa Catalina	62	(4)
A Proton Magnetometer Approach	63	(1)
A Soil Resistivity Approach	64	(1)
A Ground-Penetrating Radar Approach	65	(1)
Ceren: The New World Pompeii?	66	(1)
Geographic Information Systems	67	(3)
GIS and the Chacoan Roads	69	(1)
Conclusion: The Potential and Limitations of Noninvasive Archaeology	70	(1)
Summary	71	(1)
Media Resources	72	(1)
Doing Fieldwork: Why Archaeologists Dig Square Holes	73	(25)
Preview	74	(1)
Introduction	74	(3)
The Folsom Site and Humanity's Antiquity in North America	75	(2)
Excavation: What Determines Preservation?	77	(2)
The Duck Decoys of Lovelock Cave	77	(1)
The Houses of Ozette	77	(1)
The Ice Man of the Alps	78	(1)
The Preservation Equation	78	(1)
Principles of Archaeological Excavation	79	(5)
Looking Closer: The Excavator's Toolkit	80	(1)
Test Excavations	80	(1)
Expanding the Test Excavation	81	(1)
How Archaeologists Dig	82	(1)
Expanding Gatecliff's Excavation	83	(1)
Precision Excavation	84	(2)
Is That All There Is to It?	84	(2)
Sifting the Evidence	86	(3)
Water Screening and Matrix Sorting	87	(1)
Flotation	88	(1)
Cataloging the Finds	89	(1)
Site Formation Processes: How Good Sites Go Bad	89	(7)
Formation Processes in the Systemic Context	90	(2)
Formation Processes in the Archaeological Context	92	(2)
Profile of an Archaeologist: An African Archaeologist	94	(2)
Conclusion: Archaeology's Conservation Ethic: Dig Only What You Must	96	(1)
Summary	97	(1)
Media Resources	97	(1)
Chronology Building: How to Get a Date	98	(25)
Preview	99	(1)
Introduction	99	(1)
Relative Dating	100	(5)
The Law of Superposition	100	(1)
The Index Fossil Concept	100	(1)
Time Markers in the American Southwest	101	(2)
The Next Step: Seriation	103	(2)
Absolute Dating	105	(12)
Tree-Ring Dating	105	(1)
Archaeological Ethics: What's Wrong with Buying Antiquities? (Part I)	106	(2)
Radiocarbon Dating: Archaeology's Workhorse	108	(4)
Looking Closer: How Old Is Egyptian Agriculture?	112	(1)
Trapped Charge Dating	113	(3)
Potassium-Argon and Argon-Argon	116	(1)
What Do Dates Mean?	117	(1)
How Old Are the Pyramids?	117	(3)
The Check, Please	120	(1)
Conclusion: How Dating Changed Archaeology	120	(1)
Summary	121	(1)
Media Resources	122	(1)
The Dimensions of Archaeology: Time, Space, and Form	123	(24)
Preview	124	(1)
Introduction	124	(1)
After the Excavation: Conservation and Cataloging	125	(1)
Looking Closer: Preserving the Hunley	126	(1)
Archaeological Classification	126	(11)
Types of Types	127	(2)
Projectile Point Typology at Gatecliff	129	(3)
Looking Closer: The Frison Effect	132	(4)
Gatecliff Projectile Points as Temporal Types	136	(1)
Space-Time Systematics	137	(7)
Archaeological Cultures: Dividing Space	138	(1)
Periods: Dividing Time	138	(1)
Phases: Combining Space and Time	139	(2)
Profile of an Archaeologist: A Cultural Resource Management Archaeologist	141	(1)
Phases: The Basic Units of Space-Time Systematics	142	(1)
Archaeological Ethics: What's Wrong with Buying Antiquities? (Part II)	143	(1)
Conclusion: Space-Time Systematics and Archaeological Objectives	144	(1)
Summary	145	(1)
Media Resources	146	(1)
Taphonomy, Experimental Archaeology, and Ethnoarchaeology	147	(26)
Preview	148	(1)
Introduction	148	(1)
Middle-Range Research: What Is It?	149	(6)
Some Bones of Contention	149	(2)
Archaeological Ethics: The Ethics of Doing Ethnoarchaeology	151	(1)
Analogy versus Middle-Range Theory	152	(3)
Taphonomy	155	(4)
Taphonomy at the Hudson-Meng Bison Bonebed	156	(2)
Taphonomy and Uniformitarianism	158	(1)
Experimental Archaeology	159	(4)
How Were Stone Tools Made?	160	(2)
Experimental Archaeology and Uniformitarianism	162	(1)
Ethnoarchaeology	163	(7)
Binford Takes Off for Points North	164	(1)
Ethnoarchaeology in Madagascar	164	(1)
In His Own Words: Why I Began Doing Ethnoarchaeology	165	(2)
Lewis R. Binford
Looking Closer: Doing Ethnoarchaeology in Madagascar	167	(2)
Ethnoarchaeology and Uniformitarianism	169	(1)
Conclusion: The Importance of Middle-Range Theory	170	(1)
Summary	171	(1)
Media Resources	172	(1)
People, Plants, and Animals in the Past	173	(26)
Preview	174	(1)
Introduction	174	(1)
What's an Archaeofauna?	174	(12)
In Her Own Words: Zooarchaeology and Biological Conservation	175	(1)
Virginia Butler
The Agate Basin Site	176	(5)
Looking Closer: Hunter-Gatherers as Optimal Foragers	181	(1)
The Zooarchaeology of a Peruvian Civilization	182	(2)
Early Patterns at Chavin de Huantar	184	(2)
Studying Plant Remains from Archaeological Sites	186	(7)
Palynology	187	(3)
Looking Closer: Palynology of Shanidar Cave: Why Formation Processes Matter	190	(1)
What Plants Did People Eat in the Stillwater Marsh?	190	(2)
Coprolites of Hidden Cave	192	(1)
The Symbolic Meaning of Plants: The Upper Mantaro Valley Project	193	(4)
Looking Closer: What Did Sixteenth-Century Colonists Eat in Spanish Florida?	194	(1)
What Explains Wood Use?	195	(2)
Relating Ideology to the Past	197	(1)
Conclusion: Economic and Non-economic Explanations	197	(1)
Summary	197	(1)
Media Resources	198	(1)
Bioarchaeological Approaches to the Past	199	(23)
Preview	200	(1)
Introduction	200	(1)
Skeletal Analysis: The Basics	201	(3)
Looking Closer: Native Americans and the Stillwater Burials	202	(1)
Determining Sex	203	(1)
Determining Age	203	(1)
How Well Did the Stillwater People Live?	204	(5)
Disease and Trauma at Stillwater	205	(1)
Growth Arrest Features	205	(1)
Workload	206	(2)
Paleodemography	208	(1)
Stature	209	(1)
Reconstructing Diet from Human Bone	209	(4)
Profile of an Archaeologist: A Native American Archaeologist	210	(1)
Cavities	210	(1)
Bone and Stable Isotopes	211	(2)
Lives of Affluence? or Nasty, Brutish, and Short?	213	(1)
Archaeological Ethics: Should We Excavate and Analyze Human Remains?	214	(1)
Archaeology and DNA: Tracing Human Migrations	214	(6)
A Little Background on DNA	215	(1)
Prospecting for Ancient DNA	215	(1)
Skulls and DNA: Tracking the First Americans	216	(4)
Conclusion: The Importance of Human Skeletons	220	(1)
Summary	220	(1)
Media Resources	221	(1)
Reconstructing Social and Political Systems of the Past	222	(25)
Preview	223	(1)
Introduction	223	(2)
Social Vocabulary	223	(1)
From Artifact to Symbol	224	(1)
Archaeology and Gender	225	(6)
Hunting in Africa's Rain Forest	227	(1)
Reconstructing Male and Female Activities from Archaeology	228	(3)
Archaeology and Kinship	231	(1)
Forms of Kinship	231	(3)
Archaeology and Social Status	233	(1)
Looking Closer: Kinship and Residence among the Mikea	234	(7)
Egalitarian Societies	234	(1)
Ranked Societies	235	(1)
Death and Social Status	236	(1)
Rank and Status at Moundville	236	(2)
Looking Closer: Help Find Moundville's Stolen Ceramics	238	(3)
Kinship at Moundville	241	(1)
Trade and Political Organization	241	(4)
Tracing Exotics	242	(3)
Conclusion: Reconstructing Past Social and Political Systems	245	(1)
Summary	245	(1)
Media Resources	246	(1)
The Archaeology of the Mind	247	(22)
Preview	248	(1)
Introduction	248	(1)
What's a Symbol?	249	(2)
Looking Closer: Food Taboos in the Near East	250	(1)
The Peace Pipe as Ritual Weapon	251	(3)
Exploring Ancient Chavin Cosmology	254	(4)
Animal Symbolism in Chavin Iconography	255	(1)
Where Did Chavin Cosmology Come From?	256	(1)
The Role of Cosmology in Andean Civilization	257	(1)
Blueprints for an Archaeology of the Mind	258	(1)
Upper Paleolithic Cave Art	259	(8)
Art or Magic?	260	(2)
Shamanism?	262	(1)
The Cave of Lascaux	263	(2)
What Does All This Mean?	265	(1)
Looking Closer: The Discovery of Lascaux	266	(1)
Conclusion: The Archaeology of Symbols	267	(1)
Summary	267	(1)
Media Resources	268	(1)
Historical Archaeology: Insights on American History	269	(25)
Preview	270	(1)
Introduction	270	(1)
Why Do Historical Archaeology?	271	(1)
Historical Archaeology: Just a ``Handmaiden to History''?	271	(4)
Historical Archaeology Comes of Age	272	(1)
Characteristics of Historical Archaeology	272	(1)
Themes in Historical Archaeology	273	(1)
Archaeological Ethics: Who Should Control and Own Sacred Sites?	274	(1)
Hidden History: The Archaeology of African Americans	275	(7)
Slave Archaeology at Monticello	275	(3)
New York City's African Burial Ground	278	(2)
Beyond Slavery	280	(1)
In His Own Words: Balancing Interests at the African Burial Ground	281	(1)
Michael L. Blakey
Correcting Inaccuracies	282	(3)
What Happened at the Battle of the Little Bighorn?	282	(1)
Looking Closer: Fort Mose: Colonial America's Black Fortress of Freedom	283	(1)
An Archaeological Perspective on the Battle	283	(2)
Reexamining America's History	285	(6)
Historical Archaeology in Annapolis	286	(4)
Taking Critical Theory Public	290	(1)
Conclusion: Historical Archaeology's Future	291	(1)
Summary	292	(1)
Media Resources	293	(1)
Caring for America's Cultural Heritage	294	(26)
Preview	295	(1)
Introduction	295	(1)
What Is Cultural Resource Management?	296	(5)
Early Efforts to Protect America's Cultural Heritage	296	(1)
Historic Preservation Comes of Age	297	(1)
Profile of an Archaeologist: A Federal Archaeologist	298	(1)
The National Historic Preservation Act	299	(1)
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act	300	(1)
What about Private Land?	300	(1)
Archaeological Science: Pure or Applied?	301	(1)
The Garbage Project	302	(2)
How Do Archaeologists Collect Trash?	302	(1)
The Archaeology of Us	302	(1)
Myths about America's Landfills	303	(1)
Forensic Archaeology	304	(4)
In His Own Words: Disaster Archaeology	305	(1)
Richard A. Gould
In Her Own Words: The Journey of a Forensic Anthropologist	306	(1)
Clea Koff
The Archaeology of Mass Disasters	307	(1)
Who Has the Authority to Study the Past?	308	(4)
A Spiritual Site: The Bighorn Medicine Wheel	308	(2)
Who Owns the Past?	310	(1)
Nazi Archaeology: The Danger of Owning the Past	310	(1)
In His Own Words: Archaeological Sites or Sacred Places? A Native American Perspective	311	(1)
William Tallbull
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990	312	(4)
Archaeological Ethics: Should Antiquities Be Returned to the Country of Origin?	313	(1)
Native Americans and Cultural Affiliation	314	(1)
Kennewick Man and Repatriation	314	(2)
Seeking Common Ground	316	(2)
Conclusion: Archaeology and America's Cultural Heritage	318	(1)
Summary	318	(1)
Media Resources	319	(1)
Glossary	320	(11)
Bibliography	331	(17)
Photo Credits	348	(1)
Index	349