Archaeology Archaeology - the study of the remains of past human life and cultures Artifacts – things made by people Scientists found that they could learn how people lived long ago from the artifacts Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 5 begins on page 25 of your textbook. Section 5-1

Terry Herbert 2009

Archaeology (cont.) People who lived in ancient times did not leave many written records.  Artifacts - do not have to be works of art; they can be anything made by people Earliest artifacts - pieces of hard rock that were chipped into cutting or digging tools or into weapons. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 5-2

Archaeological Finds About 1700 – Herculaneum discovered by Italian farmers who were living on top of the ancient Roman city that had been buried for more than 1,000 years.  About 1750 - Pompeii uncovered 1799 - the Rosetta Stone was found in Egypt - a two-language dictionary carved on stone that gave the key to the meaning of Egyptian picture-writing 1850 – 1950 - archaeologists uncovered five lost civilizations.  Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 5-3

Dating Archaeological Remains Archaeologists - Excavate - dig into the earth, to uncover remains of the past Date - find the age of, the remains.  1832 - Christian J. Thomsen - divided early human history into three ages, or periods Stone Age; Bronze Age; Iron Age Later, scientists divided the Stone Age into three periods –old, middle, and new. Section 5-5

Dating Archaeological Remains (cont.) Archaeologists later divided early human history into two general periods.  First period - people were food gatherers.  Second period - people were food producers.  To tell the date of an archaeological find, scientists first used the growth rings in trees. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 5-6

Dating Archaeological Remains (cont.) Willard Frank Libby - In 1946, discovered that all living things contain a radioactive element called carbon 14.  Carbon 14 Dating – accurate to about 50,000 years ago Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 5-7

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