Glossary of Key Terms

Chapter 2: Methods of Studying the Human Past

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Absolute dates
In archaeology and paleoanthropology, dates for archaeological materials based on solar years, centuries, or other units of absolute time.

Altered fossils
Remains of plants and animals that lived in the past that have been altered, as by the replacement of organic material by calcium carbonate or silica.

Archaeozoology
In archaeology, the analysis and interpretation of archaeological animal remains.

C

Chronometric dates
In archaeology and paleoanthropology, dates for archaeological materials based on solar years, centuries, or other units of absolute time.

D

Datum point
The starting or reference, point for a grid system.

Dendrochronology
In archaeology, a method of chronometric dating based on the number of rings of growth found in a tree trunk.

E

Electron spin resonance
In archaeology and paleo-anthropology, a technique for chronometric dating that measures the number of trapped electrons in bone or shell.

Endocast
A cast of the inside of a skull; helps determine the size and shape of the brain.

F

Feature
In archaeology, a place within a site that is treated separately from other places within the site.

Flotation
An archeological technique employed to recover very tiny objects by immersion of soil samples in water to separate heavy from light particles.

Fluorine test
In archaeology or paleoanthropology, a technique for relative dating based on the fact that the amount of fluorine in bones is proportional to their age.

Fossil locality
In paleoanthropology, a place where fossils are found.

G

Grid system
A system for recording data from an archaeological excavation.

Ground-Penetrating Radar
By transmiting electromagnetic pulses from surface antennas into the ground, and measuring the time lag between when the pulses are sent and when they are received back at the surface patterns in soil density are recorded.

H

Human osteology
The study of human skeletal remains.

M

Magnetometer
A device for detecting subsurface patterns by measuring the variation in magnetic field strength of the soil

P

Paleoanthropologist
An anthropologist who studies human evolution from fossil remains.

Paleoethnobotany
In archaeology, the analysis and interpretation of archaeological plants remains.

Paleopathology
The study of disease in ancient populations, usually from evidence presented in bone.

Palynology
In archaeology and paleoanthropology, a method of relative dating based on changes in fossil pollen over time.

Potassium-argon analysis
In archaeology and paleo-anthropology, a technique for chronometric dating that measures the ratio of radioactive potassium to argon in volcanic debris associated with human remains.

Pre-contact
The period before European arrival in the Americas.

Prehistoric
A conventional term used to refer to the period of time before the appearance of written records. Does not deny the existence of history, merely of written history.

R

Radiocarbon analysis
In archaeology and paleoanthropology, a technique for chronometric dating based on measuring the amount of radioactive carbon (C-14) left in organic materials found in archaeological sites.

Relative dating
In archaeology and paleoanthropology, designating an event, object, or fossil as being older or younger than another.

S

Seriation
A method used to place artifacts in approximate chronological order based on the recognition of small-scale incremental changes in form or style. The method assumes that single artifacts or groups of artifacts that are most similar are closest to one another in time and space. Sequences based on seriation can be tied to absolute chronologies if one or more of the artifacts can be dated (Oxford Reference Online).

Soil marks
Stains that show up on the surface of recently plowed fields that reveal an archaeological site.

Soil resistivity meter
A device that detects subsurface patterns by passing electrical current through the ground and measuring the resisitance of the soil to the current.

Stratified
Layered; said of archaeological sites where the remains lie in layers, one upon another.

Stratigraphy
In archaeology and paleoanthropology, the most reliable method of relative dating by means of strata.

T

Technology
The knowledge that people employ to make and use objects.

U

Unaltered fossils
Remains of plants and animals that lived in the past and that have not been altered in any significant way.