History and Archaeology What are the TOOLS and METHODS used by Archaeologists and Historians? How do Archaeologists ANALYZE DATA and ARTIFACTS?

History Once all of the tools to unlocking the past have been collected and analyzed, how do historians DRAW CONCLUSIONS about the past? Speculation Interpretation Educated guesses What TOOLS do historians use to unlock the secrets of the past? Artifacts Primary sources Secondary Sources

History Base theories on own interpretations Less written record Why does history always involve some degree of BIAS? Base theories on own interpretations Why is it more difficult for historians to study ANCIENT history than MODERN history? Less written record

Archaeology What is Archaeology? In what ways are Archaeologists detectives of the past? What tools do they use to discover the truth? Early civilization = not much written record Rely on physical remains, excavations, artifacts, organic material, fossils… What is Archaeology? Study of the material remains of the past

Archaeology Study the origin, development and culture of humans What are Anthropologists? Study the origin, development and culture of humans Paleontologists? Study the fossil remains of animal and plant life Paleoanthropologists? Study both

Self-Assessment 4 Completed in exemplary detail – had additional information to teacher’s notes Completed with exemplary organization – including the use of titles and underlining/bolding/highlighting key words 3 Completed in good detail – had the information from the notes Completed with good organization – Had some titles and key words, but more needed 2 Completed in satisfactory detail – missing key information from notes Completed with satisfactory organization – Some organization, but difficult to follow 1 Completed in insufficient detail – missing a lot of key information from notes/incomplete Completed with insufficient organization – Disorganized and difficult to follow

History vs. Archaeology (review) What are the similarities and differences between the TOOLS that historians and archaeologists use to reconstruct the past? What are the similarities and differences between the METHODS that historians and archaeologists use to reconstruct the past?

Analyzing Data – Methods of Dating Artifacts Stratigraphy Measuring layers in earth Most recent is shallow, older is deeper

Analyzing Data – Methods of Dating Artifacts Radio-Carbon (C14) Measures level of C14 Accurate up to 40,000 years Most popular

Stratigraphy vs. C14 Dating What are the ADVANTAGES and DISADVNATAGES of these methods of dating artifacts? Stratigraphy vs. C14 Dating

Analyzing Data – Exposing Frauds Why? Fame, demonstrate faults in the archaeological process, or $$$ Better dating techniques today make frauds more difficult to pull off

Exposing Frauds - Example Missing Link = ape-like humanoid 1912, Charles Dawson finds Piltdown Man Human skull, ape-like jaw Disproved by modern dating techniques Click for video

Analyzing Data – Analyzing Artifacts Primary Data can be ORGANIC or INORGANIC Best preserved in deserts, frozen tundra and waterlogged areas First analysis is SOURCE (local or traded?)

Analyzing Data – Analyzing Artifacts ORGANIC INORGANIC Plants and animals Skeletal remains (age, sex) Paleopathology – study of ancient diseases Tools, pottery… Tools – use, source Pottery – techniques etc

Self-Assessment 4 Completed in exemplary detail – had additional information to teacher’s notes Completed with exemplary organization – including the use of titles and underlining/bolding/highlighting key words 3 Completed in good detail – had the information from the notes Completed with good organization – Had some titles and key words, but more needed 2 Completed in satisfactory detail – missing key information from notes Completed with satisfactory organization – Some organization, but difficult to follow 1 Completed in insufficient detail – missing a lot of key information from notes/incomplete Completed with insufficient organization – Disorganized and difficult to follow