Archaeology in History Vocabulary Review

What is Archaeology Archaeology is the study of the past using what was left behind by people. It can be artifacts, buildings (normally material possessions)

What is Paleontology? Paleontology is the study of bones to try to understand the past. Paleontologists are often remembered to be the people who study dinosaurs, but it can be any bone.

What is anthropology? Anthropology is the study of people, their society, how they interact with each other and how they behave.

What is an artifact? An artifact is something that has been left behind. (spear, bone, bullets, …)

What is Radiocarbon Dating Radiocarbon dating uses the knowledge that carbon breaks down at a steady rate and measures the decay and compares it to the original amount. Scientists then use math to figure out how long ago it happened based on this steady decay. Only things that have been living can be dated in this way.

What are Paleoindians? Paleoindians is the term used to call the First Peoples in North America

What are (Who are) Clovis? Clovis was named for a group of people who lived in Clovis, New Mexico from 11 500 BP to 11 000BP. This has been the earliest evidence of people uncovered and became known as the Clovis era. All theories, time frames use clovis as a time frame (Pre Clovis, Post Clovis) when explaining their theories.

What is a paradigm bias? Is a problem in archaeology where some theory has become so ingrained in people, that archaeologists may not look any further for an explaination. Eg. Many archaeologists reach the clovis level of dirt and do no did past that layer thinking that they will find no human remains below it.