Archaeology Exam Questions with Correct Answers 100% Pass
The historic period - Answers the last 5000 years of history - that period of time since the appearance of
writing
Primary records - Answers accounts(usually written) of an event by someone who saw it happen.
Secondary records - Answers accounts(usually written) that are made after an event by someone who
was not there. (example: a history text)
The prehistoric period - Answers that period of time prior to written records. (5000 years ago and
longer)
Artifacts - Answers any object made, used, or modified by people. They are portable and can be
removed from the site. Examples include tools, weapons, pottery, etc.
Shards - Answers pieces of broken pottery
Excavation - Answers a dig conducted by archaeologists to find evidence of past human activity buried in
the ground.
Experimental archaeology - Answers ancient conditions are recreated so that an archaeologist can test a
hypothesis.
Anthropologist - Answers trained professionals who study human beings and human society
Archaeological site - Answers A place or location that contains evidence of past human activity. This
evidence consists of artifacts and/or features. The type of artifacts and features found vary depending
on the kind of site. The size of archaeological sites also varies.
Artifact - Answers An object made, used, or modified by humans. It is something that is portable and can
be removed from the site.
Faunal remains - Answers preserved animal remains recovered from an archaeological site. Faunal
remains can provide information about past environment, climate, diet, hunting practices, and season of
site usage. They include animal bone, teeth, antler, horn, and shells. Faunal remains are rare because
they are organic and usually decompose rapidly. If present, faunal remains can be recovered by
screening the soil or using a process called flotation where the soil sample is dissolved in water and the
faunal remains float to the surface.
Flaking - Answers A method of stone tool manufacturing that was in use by the Coast Salish people for at
least 6 000 years. Tools were shaped and formed by knocking flakes of stone from a core using a
hammerstone. Examples of flake tools include projectile points and pebble tools.
Floral remains - Answers Preserved plant remains recovered from an archaeological site. Examples
include seeds, leaves, nut shells, fruit, and plant fragments. Floral remains can provide information
about past environment, climate, diet, and season of site usage. Faunal remains are rare because they
, are organic and usually decompose rapidly. If present, floral remains can be recovered by screening the
soil or using a process called flotation where the soil sample is dissolved in water and the floral remains
float to the surface.
In situ - Answers The original location or position of artifacts and features in the archaeological site.
Artifacts and features give archaeologists more information about ancient peoples when found in situ.
Stratigraphy - Answers the natural layering of cultural deposits and natural soil layers that build up on a
site over a long period of time. These soil layers will often be different in color and texture from each
other. The most recent artifacts and features are found closer to the surface, and the oldest deposits are
at the bottom.
Awl - Answers long pointed tool used to punch holes so that sinew could then be threaded through by
hand. Precursor to a needle.
Olduvai Gorge - Answers Rift Valley, Tanzania - Louis & Mary Leakey - Homo Habilis - first stone tool
maker
Oldowan Tool Industry - Answers Slow to change, little regional variation, simple & casual, used for
butchery & marrow extraction
Acheulian Tool Industry - Answers Hand axe, versatile tools
Archaeology - Answers systematic, scientific study of human past based on investigation of material
culture & its context
Finding Sites - Answers Arch Survey, Surface Scatters, Obvious/Accidental
Survey Methods - Answers Pedestrian, Test Pitting, Geophysical (cheap), aerial reconnaissance, oblique
photography, remote sensing
Law of superposition - Answers Charles Lyell - in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest rocks are on the
bottom and the youngest rocks are on the top
Principle of Uniformitarianism - Answers James Hutton• Laws of nature are constant • Speed of
light/gravity do not change with time • Rate of sedimentation is slow in oceans • Earth is old due to its
deep deposition
Remain Types - Answers Artifacts, EcoFacts, Features, Site/Settlement
Relative Dating - Answers Dating technique, for example, stratigraphy, that establishes a time frame in
relation to other strata or materials, rather than absolute dates in numbers. (and rule of superposition)
Absolute Dating - Answers determines actual age. fossil's near by rock contains radioactive elements
that break down (decay) into different elements over time. half life of these elements means the time it
takes for half of the atoms to decay they compare how much of the radioactive element is in the sample
and the amount of the new element, then calculate the age.
The historic period - Answers the last 5000 years of history - that period of time since the appearance of
writing
Primary records - Answers accounts(usually written) of an event by someone who saw it happen.
Secondary records - Answers accounts(usually written) that are made after an event by someone who
was not there. (example: a history text)
The prehistoric period - Answers that period of time prior to written records. (5000 years ago and
longer)
Artifacts - Answers any object made, used, or modified by people. They are portable and can be
removed from the site. Examples include tools, weapons, pottery, etc.
Shards - Answers pieces of broken pottery
Excavation - Answers a dig conducted by archaeologists to find evidence of past human activity buried in
the ground.
Experimental archaeology - Answers ancient conditions are recreated so that an archaeologist can test a
hypothesis.
Anthropologist - Answers trained professionals who study human beings and human society
Archaeological site - Answers A place or location that contains evidence of past human activity. This
evidence consists of artifacts and/or features. The type of artifacts and features found vary depending
on the kind of site. The size of archaeological sites also varies.
Artifact - Answers An object made, used, or modified by humans. It is something that is portable and can
be removed from the site.
Faunal remains - Answers preserved animal remains recovered from an archaeological site. Faunal
remains can provide information about past environment, climate, diet, hunting practices, and season of
site usage. They include animal bone, teeth, antler, horn, and shells. Faunal remains are rare because
they are organic and usually decompose rapidly. If present, faunal remains can be recovered by
screening the soil or using a process called flotation where the soil sample is dissolved in water and the
faunal remains float to the surface.
Flaking - Answers A method of stone tool manufacturing that was in use by the Coast Salish people for at
least 6 000 years. Tools were shaped and formed by knocking flakes of stone from a core using a
hammerstone. Examples of flake tools include projectile points and pebble tools.
Floral remains - Answers Preserved plant remains recovered from an archaeological site. Examples
include seeds, leaves, nut shells, fruit, and plant fragments. Floral remains can provide information
about past environment, climate, diet, and season of site usage. Faunal remains are rare because they
, are organic and usually decompose rapidly. If present, floral remains can be recovered by screening the
soil or using a process called flotation where the soil sample is dissolved in water and the floral remains
float to the surface.
In situ - Answers The original location or position of artifacts and features in the archaeological site.
Artifacts and features give archaeologists more information about ancient peoples when found in situ.
Stratigraphy - Answers the natural layering of cultural deposits and natural soil layers that build up on a
site over a long period of time. These soil layers will often be different in color and texture from each
other. The most recent artifacts and features are found closer to the surface, and the oldest deposits are
at the bottom.
Awl - Answers long pointed tool used to punch holes so that sinew could then be threaded through by
hand. Precursor to a needle.
Olduvai Gorge - Answers Rift Valley, Tanzania - Louis & Mary Leakey - Homo Habilis - first stone tool
maker
Oldowan Tool Industry - Answers Slow to change, little regional variation, simple & casual, used for
butchery & marrow extraction
Acheulian Tool Industry - Answers Hand axe, versatile tools
Archaeology - Answers systematic, scientific study of human past based on investigation of material
culture & its context
Finding Sites - Answers Arch Survey, Surface Scatters, Obvious/Accidental
Survey Methods - Answers Pedestrian, Test Pitting, Geophysical (cheap), aerial reconnaissance, oblique
photography, remote sensing
Law of superposition - Answers Charles Lyell - in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest rocks are on the
bottom and the youngest rocks are on the top
Principle of Uniformitarianism - Answers James Hutton• Laws of nature are constant • Speed of
light/gravity do not change with time • Rate of sedimentation is slow in oceans • Earth is old due to its
deep deposition
Remain Types - Answers Artifacts, EcoFacts, Features, Site/Settlement
Relative Dating - Answers Dating technique, for example, stratigraphy, that establishes a time frame in
relation to other strata or materials, rather than absolute dates in numbers. (and rule of superposition)
Absolute Dating - Answers determines actual age. fossil's near by rock contains radioactive elements
that break down (decay) into different elements over time. half life of these elements means the time it
takes for half of the atoms to decay they compare how much of the radioactive element is in the sample
and the amount of the new element, then calculate the age.
