Archaeology
Archaeology is the science concerned with the recovery, analysis, description and explanation of the remains of past human cultures and behavior. By using material evidence, time lines can be constructed and past life styles can be reconstructed or suggested. Understanding and identifying how and why cultural processes were important to earlier life forms can help to understand human behavior from the past and the present.
Archaeological activities include preparatory fieldwork, excavation, classification, interpretation, and dating recovered materials from the site. Archaeology may incorporate a few scientific techniques like stratigraphy, relative dating, absolute dating, potassium argon, and dendrochronology. Stratigraphy is the study of earth layers based on the principle that older deposits tend to be underneath younger ones. Relative dating determines the age of materials at sites that is compared to other sites. Absolute dating determines the age of objects measured in years by using " before present" or BP designation (as of the year 1950). Another method to determine chronology is by glacial varves which are annually deposited layers of clay in former water basins created by retreating continental glaciers. For material that is beyond radiocarbon range (between 100,000 - 5,000,000 years ago), the most useful dating technique is the potassium-argon method. This technique measures the rate of decay in potassium 40 into calcium 40 and argon 40 and the use of known proportions in known rates of change. Dendrochronolgy (measuring the age of trees) is calculated in relation to seasonal differences according to rainfall, drought, and other environmental changes.
Archaeology is important to aboriginal people because it encourages traditional values, oral history, and respect for other cultures. It also educates non-native people by providing material evidence to correct false images portrayed in the past.
Questions about past processes and patterns of change can be addressed with archaeology. This science records and exposes a great diversity in aboriginal cultures. It also provides cultural and national unity by supporting aboriginal claims and rights that challenge colonialist ideas and policies. Governments and corporations are required to undertake archaeological assessments before any job is to be implemented if there are any potential archaeological sites nearby.
Home / Table of Contents Previous / More