Archaeology RQ #5

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Austin Community College District *

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2302

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Anthropology

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Apr 3, 2024

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docx

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Uploaded by CaptainOtterMaster1022 on coursehero.com

Reading Questions - Chapter 5 1) What are the three basic categories of evidence archaeology uses to study hierarchy? Ans: Archaeologists study social hierarchy through artifact analysis, examining objects; architectural evidence, assessing structures; and bioarcheological evidence, analyzing human remains and burial practices. 2) Outline the classic four-fold scheme to classify polities in anthropology. Where is the boundary between stratified and unstratified societies? Ans: The classic four-fold scheme in anthropology classifies polities into bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states. The boundary between stratified and unstratified societies lies between tribes and chiefdoms. Tribes typically exhibit egalitarian social structures with no centralized authority, while chiefdoms have centralized leadership and social stratification, marking a transition toward more complex, hierarchical societies. 3) What’s all this about achieved status and ascribed status? Ans: 1. Achieved Status: This is a social position that an individual attains through their actions, efforts, choices, or achievements. It is earned and reflects personal accomplishments, skills, education, or professional success. For example, becoming a doctor, athlete, or entrepreneur are examples of achieved statuses. 2. Ascribed Status: In contrast, an ascribed status is a social position that an individual is born into or acquires involuntarily. It is typically based on attributes such as race, gender, ethnicity, or family background. Ascribed statuses are not within one's control and can significantly influence an

individual's opportunities and experiences. Examples include being a daughter, belonging to a particular ethnicity, or inheriting a noble title. 4) What is a Thiessen polygon? Why should we care about human/economic geography in archaeology? Later, you can add to this answer by working in Central Place Theory. Ans: A Thiessen polygon is a spatial analysis tool creating polygons around points to study resource distribution. Human/economic geography in archaeology helps interpret past societies by analyzing settlement patterns and trade networks. Central Place Theory, part of this field, explores how settlements organize around central places providing goods and services, offering insights into ancient socio- economic structures. These tools enhance our understanding of spatial organization and economic relationships in archaeological contexts. 5) What are those two explanations for what is going on at Stonehenge? Ans: Stonehenge's purpose is debated, with two main explanations: a religious site for ceremonies and astronomical observations, or an astronomical observatory and calendar, tracking celestial events for practical or ceremonial purposes. 6) Which one do you like better? Why? Ok, now for the kind of question that might appear on an exam: why is Stonehenge here in the social structure chapter? I.e. what is the argument over Stonehenge really about? 7) Can we determine ethnicity from archaeological evidence? Warning: there is some really awful stuff done in the past in archaeology here, and, yes, Nazis figure here too, but nobody is publishing these things. Ans: Decoding ethnicity from ancient artifacts is challenging. The Nazis misused this, and now archaeologists approach it cautiously, avoiding assumptions. They

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