General archaeology

General archaeology

Terms and definitions of archaeology -- the study of human society through the analysis of artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes.

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General archaeology

ground stone

Archaeology; General archaeology

Stone artifacts shaped by sawing, grinding, and/or polishing with abrasive materials (e.g. "ground slate knives", "polished soapstone pendants" etc. ).

prehistory

Archaeology; General archaeology

The period of human history before the advent of writing.

thin-section analysis

Archaeology; General archaeology

A technique whereby microscopic thin sections are cut from a stone object or potsherd and examined with a petrological microscope to determine the source of the material.

ranked societies

Archaeology; General archaeology

Societies in which there is unequal access to prestige and status e.g. chiefdoms and states.

deductive nomological (D-N) explanation

Archaeology; General archaeology

A formal method of explanation based on the testing of hypotheses derived from general laws.

sociobiology

Archaeology; General archaeology

The study of the biological control of social behavior.

cation-ratio dating

Archaeology; General archaeology

This method aspires to the direct dating of rock carvings and engravings, and is also potentially applicable to Paleolithic artifacts with a strong patina caused by exposure to desert dust. It ...