1. Exploring Lifeways of the Past
Archaeology
Exploring Lifeways of the Past

2. Classical Archaeology Prehistoric Archaeology Historical Archaeology
Introduction to Archaeology provides a survey of the basic methods, theory and research of scientific archaeology. Human cultures and behaviors are identified and interpreted from material remains of over 2.5 million years of the human past. Students learn how anthropologists build cultural history from artifacts and material evidence of human activity, reconstruct past lifeways, and explain similarities and differences of human cultures.
Classical Archaeology
Prehistoric Archaeology
Historical Archaeology
Popular Myths: Indiana Jones, Laura Croft

3. Classical Archaeology
Greek Parthenon
Egyptian Pyramid and Sphinx

4. PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY: “DEEP TIME”
PREHISTORY in the US
PREHISTORY in the Rest of the World

5. LIVING OFF THE LAND: Lore and Legends Knowledge of Resources Nomadic?
FORAGING
LIVING OFF THE LAND:
Lore and Legends
Knowledge of Resources
Nomadic?

6. IMPLEMENTS:STICKS and ROCKS
Objects Found in Nature:
FLINT and OBSIDIAN
Bone
WOOD: for Digging Sticks, Shafts & Spears
BASALT & GRANITE: Axes, Hammers, Grinding Stone
HIDE: Clothing, Bags, Bindings, Cover
PLANT FIBER: Clothing, Bindings & Ties
TARS/OCRES: Adhesives, Decorations

7. NUTRITION MEAT: Big Game, Small Game
VEGETATION: Plant parts: Leaves, Stems, Fruits and Flowers
PLANT & ANIMAL FLUIDS: Tanning, Medicines, Nutrients
MINERALS: Salt, Clays, Tars (Petroleum)

8. PALEOARCHAEOLOGY
Human Origins
Material Culture
Behaviors

9. TEXAS FORAGERS

10. HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Material Remains, Historical Records and the Lifeways of People Critical Analysis of Power and Wealth Distribution

11. MESOAMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY
Olmec
Maya
Aztec

12. Scientific Methods Observe Explain Predict Test Inductive Logic
Deductive Logic

13. Logico-Deductive Method
if A…, then B
Testable Hypotheses: specific predictions from observations (Inductive Logic)
Deductions (If the explanation is true, then…)
Objective tests, must be reproducible
Evaluation, test again if necessary
Conclusion
Theories: Generalized Predictive Models

14. Strong vs. Weak Inductive Reasoning
A is to B, as B is to C, therefore A=B,C
Strong vs. Weak Inductive Reasoning
Strong Induction: If all premises are true, the conclusion is likely to be true.
Weak Induction: Even if all premises are true, other possibilities are equally likely.
Increased similarity in propositional cases strengthens the argument

15. Scientistic vs. Scientific
Sir Bedevere: There are ways of telling whether she is a witch.
Peasant 1: Are there? Oh well, tell us.
Sir Bedevere: Tell me. What do you do with witches?
Peasant 1: Burn them.
Sir Bedevere: And what do you burn, apart from witches?
Peasant 1: More witches.
Peasant 2: Wood.
Sir Bedevere: Good. Now, why do witches burn?
Peasant 3: ...because they're made of... wood?
Sir Bedevere: Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?
Peasant 1: Build a bridge out of her.
Sir Bedevere: But can you not also build bridges out of stone?
Peasant 1: Oh yeah.
Sir Bedevere: Does wood sink in water?
Peasant 1: No, no, it floats!... It floats! Throw her into the pond!
Sir Bedevere: No, no. What else floats in water?
Peasant 1: Bread.
Peasant 2: Apples.
Peasant 3: Very small rocks.
Peasant 1: Cider.
Peasant 2: Gravy.
Peasant 3: Cherries.
Peasant 1: Mud.
Peasant 2: Churches.
Peasant 3: Lead! Lead!
King Arthur: A Duck.
Sir Bedevere: ...Exactly. So, logically...
Peasant 1: If she weighed the same as a duck... she's made of wood.
Sir Bedevere: And therefore...
Peasant 2: ...A witch!
Sir Galahad: What a strange person.
Excerpted from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, © 1975