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7.3: Chapter Seven Review

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    110711

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    Test Your Knowledge

    1. Describe some of the pitfalls an archaeologist could encounter during an excavation. What can archaeologists do to avoid those pitfalls?
    2. How are horizontal and vertical excavations different?
    3. When and why would flotation be used as part of the screening process?
    4. Why are assumptions made about the formation of stratigraphy important for archaeologists?
    5. What are the roles of the field and permanent catalogs? How are they created, what kind of data do they store, and how is the data used later in the lab?

    Terms You Should Know

    arbitrary strata A standard measured vertical subdivision of an excavation unit that does not follow the natural strata.

    balk A side wall of an excavation unit or a partition wall between two units. (Plural: baulks)

    datum A set point on the site from which all points are measured, both horizontally and vertically

    field catalog A record of all archaeological finds that includes provenience data.

    flotation Using water to separate plant remains and seeds from the surrounding matrix.

    horizontal excavation Excavations designed to expose large areas of a site, especially to uncover settlements. Sometimes called area excavation.

    Law of Horizontality Layers of soil or sediment are originally deposited horizontally on the surface of the earth as a result of gravity.

    Law of Superposition A stratigraphic layer laying on top of another is younger than the layer below it.

    marker horizon A distinct layer of soil that provides additional context to the stratigraphic profile.

    natural strata A layer of rock or soil that is formed by natural processes.

    open area excavation A method of archaeological excavation that involves opening large areas of a site.

    permanent catalog A database of archaeological finds including a catalog number, provenience data, description of the artifact or feature, and photographs.

    side-scan sonar A sonar system used to create surface maps of the sea floor, similar to LiDAR.

    statistical sampling The science of assessing the reliability of information through the theory of probability.

    stratigraphy The study of rock and soil layers and layering.

    test pit An excavation unit, typically one meter by one meter, used to sample a site before further large-scale excavation takes place.

    vertical excavation Excavations that involve depth to establish the chronological sequence over a limited area.

    Wheeler box grid A method of archaeological excavation that involves using a grid system leaving partitions between units to allow for stratigraphic study.

    A derivative work from

    "Digging into Archaeology:A Brief OER Introduction to Archaeology with Activities" by Amanda Wolcott Paskey and AnnMarie Beasley Cisneros, Faculty (Anthropology) at Cosumnes River College & American River College, ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI), 2020, under CC BY-NC 4.0.

    This page titled 7.3: Chapter Seven Review is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Amanda Wolcott Paskey and AnnMarie Beasley Cisneros (ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI)) .