environment and subsistence chronology and climate landscape archaeology plants & environment...
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Environment and SubsistenceChronology and climateLandscape ArchaeologyPlants & Environment
Animals & Environment
Chronology & ClimateReconstruction on a macro-scale/global changes in water sources.
Oceans
Ice Sheets
Coast Lines
Climate & Past Lifeways
Changes in climate also affected cultures.
Major differences in ice age vs. Holocene populations.
Lifeways change such as onset of settlements, population increase, domestication, etc.
Ocean
Ocean floor sediments accumulate slowly.
Consist of microfossils called foraminifera (one-celled marine organisms that live in surface water and sink when they die) which are environmentally sensitive.
Deep sea cores show change through time in environment (in some cases up to 2 million years ago).
Deep Sea Cores
Coring Split Core
http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/CORE_REPOSITORY/RHP5c.html
Ice Sheets
Also use oxygen isotope samples from ice sheets.
information gathered from Greenland Ice Core Project can be applicable to archaeology.
Greenland Ice Core Project
Movie clip of drill and structure.
http://www.glaciology.gfy.ku.dk/ngrip/billeder_eng.htm
Coast Lines
Change in climate affected available land.During last glacial maximum sea level was about 120 meters lower than at present.Siberia and N. America where connected.British isles and mainland also connected.
Changes in coast lines
http://instaar.colorado.edu/QGISL/bering_land_bridge/downloads/beringlandbridge1m.mov
18,000 years ago, a "land bridge" emerged as sea level fell.
http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/background/channelform.htm#map1
Landscape Archaeology
Glaciated Landscapes
Varves
Rivers
Caves
Buried Land surfaces
Glaciated LandscapesGlaciers wrought changes in northern North America, Europe.
U-shaped valleys, polished rocks (petrified sea gardens).
http://www.petrifiedseagardens.org/main.htmhttp://nsidc.org/glaciers/gallery/Taku_tidewater.html
Varves
Glacial phenomenon of layers of sediment around the edges of glacial lakes.
Thick layers of sediment represent warm years, thin layers represent cold years.
Varves
Varves in cross-section, note alternating clay and sandy layers;
knife haft = 10cm
http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/varves.html
Rivers
Changes in the course of rivers affected landscape/settlement
Nile and Tigris/Euphrates river valleys were areas of early domestication due to rich floodplains.
Tigris Euphrates River Valley:Site of Ancient Mesopotamia and Modern Baghdad
Caves
Sediments deposited under certain conditions-wind, water, animals, people (i.e. tracking in mud).Soil micromorphology
microscopic study of soil components important part of excavation of any site, but particularly cave. Info on source, soil formation, and human modified.
Dust Cave, Alabama
Buried Land surfaces
Volcanic eruptions
Bogs
Volcanic Eruptions: Pompeii
When Vesuvius erupted on 24 August 79 AD it engulfed the two flourishing Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as the many rich villas in the area.
Excavations 1910-1961
Excavating through ash layers
Pompeii. House of the Vettii. Paintings http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/pompeii/ac880908.html
Pompeii-Casts of bodies
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/pompeii/thumbnails_contents.html
Plants & Environment
Microbotanical RemainsPollen, etc.
Macrobotanical RemainsSeeds, nuts, etc.
Environmental SensitiveConifers vs. Deciduous
Grassland vs. Forests
Animals & Environment
MicrofaunaMice, rodents.
MacrofaunaLarge mammals, fish, invertebrates.
Environmentally SensitiveLarge bodied=cold climates, Small=warm.
Certain species in certain habitats.
Environment and Subsistence
Environment significantly affects human subsistence.Foragers-Gather wild plants and animals.
Resource Catchment areasSubsistence Variability
DomesticationSpecies domesticatedReason for domestication