How to Reconstruct the How to Reconstruct the PastPast

Many times historians Many times historians have a hard time piecing have a hard time piecing together the past. Through the together the past. Through the passage of time, cultures and passage of time, cultures and whole societies disappear. In whole societies disappear. In order learn about these order learn about these missing parts of history, the missing parts of history, the social science of social science of anthropologyanthropology and its sub-field and its sub-field archeologyarcheology are used. are used.

The Study of Culture - The Study of Culture - AnthropologyAnthropology

The goal of anthropology is The goal of anthropology is to document and explain the to document and explain the origins and development of origins and development of human culture in prehistoric and human culture in prehistoric and historic times.historic times.

Prehistoric – Prehistoric – before recorded before recorded historyhistory. .

Culture – Culture – patterns of human patterns of human activity or the way humans liveactivity or the way humans live. .

The Study of Culture - The Study of Culture - AnthropologyAnthropologyAnthropology – The study of Anthropology – The study of cultures.cultures.

Archeology – is the study of Archeology – is the study of human cultures through the human cultures through the recovery, documentation and recovery, documentation and analysis of analysis of artifactsartifacts, , human human remainsremains, and , and geographygeography. . Artifacts= Artifacts= objects made by objects made by humans.humans.

An Archeologist at WorkAn Archeologist at Work

How do archeologists find sites?How do archeologists find sites?An archaeologist knows what An archaeologist knows what

environmental factors humans environmental factors humans have always needed in order to have always needed in order to stay alive. These include easy stay alive. These include easy access to access to waterwater, location on a , location on a trade trade routeroute, and a geographic location , and a geographic location that allows for natural that allows for natural protectionprotection. . With this information in mind, an With this information in mind, an archaeologist can study maps to archaeologist can study maps to locate likely places where locate likely places where civilizations may have lived. civilizations may have lived.

An Archeologist At WorkAn Archeologist At Work

What does an What does an archeologist do archeologist do after a site has after a site has been found?been found?

1. 1. Survey the area.Survey the area.

2. 2. Make a map.Make a map.

3. 3. Make a grid using Make a grid using string.string.

An Archeologist At WorkAn Archeologist At Work

An Archeologist At WorkAn Archeologist At Work

What tools does an What tools does an archeologist use?archeologist use?

1. shovels 1. shovels

2. 2. bucketsbuckets

3. trowels3. trowels

4. wheel barrels4. wheel barrels

5. 5. brushesbrushes

6. strings & stakes6. strings & stakes

7. 7. dig bagsdig bags

8. tents 8. tents

An Archeologist At WorkAn Archeologist At Work

What does an archeologist do What does an archeologist do at the site?at the site?

1.1. Dig a few Dig a few inchesinches at a time. at a time.

2.2. Use Use trowels & brushestrowels & brushes once an once an artifactartifact is found. is found.

3.3. Record Record positionposition, , photographphotograph artifact & artifact & place in place in dig bagdig bag..

ArcheologyArcheology

What does an archeologist do What does an archeologist do with the artifacts?with the artifacts?

1. Determine the 1. Determine the ageage of the of the artifact.artifact.

2. Determine 2. Determine useuse of the artifact of the artifact

3. Write a 3. Write a research paperresearch paper to to share with others. share with others.

ArcheologyArcheology

How does an How does an archeologist archeologist determine the determine the age of an age of an artifact?artifact?

1.1. Carbon-14 datingCarbon-14 dating

2.2. Relative DatingRelative Dating

Archeology – Carbon 14 Archeology – Carbon 14 DatingDating

Archeology – Relative Archeology – Relative DatingDating