1. Archaeology

2. Archaeology has been called “the science of rubbish” because it is the study of the remains (garbage) of human behaviors in the past. Archaeologists study human remains, artifacts, and eco-facts. People have left their mark on the world from prehistoric times. They have changed the environment to suit themselves by making tools and homes, producing food and clothing, and creating art and monuments.

3. The clues of the past come in all different shapes and sizes and are organized into the following categories:  Artifact – any object that has been made by human activity: tools, weapons, ornaments, houses, and food.  Eco-fact – is an object that was not made by humans, but still provide some information that helps us understand the people of the past. An eco-fact can include fossils.  Fossils – are the remains of organic matter that have been preserved over centuries in the layers of earth.

4. The Job Of An Archeologist 1. Collect artifacts and eco-facts by digging up likely sites of early habitation. 2. Date objects. 3. Record the precise location of the object. 4. Use the information to develop theories about how the humans might have lived. 5. Try to interpret the culture they study. The History Of Montreal Through Archeology

5. Determining The Age of Archeological Objects Archeologists have many jobs. However dating objects can be very time consuming, for there are many methods of dating artifacts and eco-facts. Dating Methods: Absolute Dating – a precise measurement of age. Methods include radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology.

6. Radiocarbon Dating – measures the amount of the element C14 in objects that were once living. Dendrochronology – dating of trees by counting the rings in their tree trunks. Relative Dating – compares the age of the object in question to the age of an object already known. Using these methods allow archeologists to determine ages up to 4500 B.C.

7. Theory – a system to explain how a certain situation or event might have come about. Culture – refers to all aspects of a society, such as language, economics, technology, spiritual beliefs, politics, education, social organization, and ideas about the roles of women and men and so on.

8. Assignments: “What Happened Here?” – the difference between facts and inferences: Fact – something that actually exists; reality; truth. Inference – The act of reasoning from factual knowledge or evidence. “Archaeological Site Map Activity” or “Tell at Ur”