9.3: Chapter Nine Review

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Test Your Knowledge

Suppose you have an archaeological site that contains the remains of sloth bones. In the assemblage are 6 phalanges (toe bones), 5 complete skulls, 10 femurs, and 55 vertebrae. Calculate the MNI and NISP for the sloths at this site.
What can phytoliths and diatoms tell archaeologists about a past environment?
What is the difference between a meal and a diet? Give an example.
What specific kinds of archaeological evidence related to flora and fauna can provide archaeologists with clues that the site was occupied by agriculturalists?
Why are macrofauna less useful than microfauna when reconstructing the past environment?

Terms You Should Know

diet The long-term pattern of consumption and represents the types of foods eaten on a regular basis.

diatoms A single-celled algae that have a cell wall of silica.

geoarchaeology The branch of archaeology that uses techniques and subject matter from geography, geology, and other Earth sciences to inform archaeological research.

macrobotanical Plant remains that can be seen with the naked eye such as seeds, nuts, and wood fragments.

macrofauna Animals that are larger than 2mm in size.

meat weight A calculated estimate of the biomass of an individual specimen.

microbotanical Ancient fragments or structures of plant tissues that are not visible to the naked eye, such as pollen and phytoliths.

microfauna Microscopic and organisms that exhibit animal-like qualities.

minimum number of individuals (MNI) The fewest possible number of people or animals represented in a skeletal assemblage.

number of identified specimens (NISP) The raw count of pieces of bone collected from a site.

paleoethnobotany The study of how plants and plant-based materials were used by humans in the past.

palynology The study of pollen grains and other spores, especially as found in archaeological or geological deposits.

phytoliths A fossilized particle of plant tissue

sedimentology The study of sediments and the processes that result in their formation, transportation. and deposition.

zooarchaeology The branch of archaeology that studies animal remains from archaeological sites.

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.