Interpret an Archaeological site
The purpose of this project is to solidify your understanding of how we know what we know about the past. It will require you to use many of the concepts you have learned in this course. Importantly, you will practice making evidence-based inferences -- a primary learning objective in the course.
The project is a realistic but fictional problem of analysis and interpretation in archaeology. The problem is set in an imaginary region of the world and the data conform closely to actual developments in each region. Because I have adapted the problem from a copyrighted source, I have placed the project problem on Canvas ("Files"). Please note that there are two documents (Part 1 and Part 2) you must read to complete the project. There are four questions to answer at the end of Part 2. Please IGNORE those questions and answer the questions below.
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HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:
Answer each question then identify the specific archaeological evidence that supports each of your answers. Each question should contain a separate and similar supporting paragraph describing the evidence that supports your interpretation of the inferred human behavior. Answer the questions in complete sentences. You should include tables, figures/graphs as evidence to support your answers, as needed. Creating a timeline can be particularly helpful for interpreting the past. Remember to state when and where what you describe occurred (for each question/answer). You can generalize by region if describing every site is too cumbersome and does not provide additional support for your answer.
Example of answer format (number each question): "The people of x in the western region ate... during the y period. The people of z in the eastern region ate ... during the q period." (Skip a line)
The evidence that supports this inference includes....This evidence provides [low, moderate, strong] support for the presence of this activity/behavior at A and B at time Z because ..... However, we should be cautious of full acceptance of this inference because of (if necessary).....Additional x data from y should be sought to strengthen our understanding of z."
The one to two sentence answer to the question is your claim (it is also a topic sentence).
The paragraph that follows your answer/claim is an argument that explains and defends your claim.
In a Final Report, this will be the structure of many interpretive paragraphs. You are developing technical writing skills that will be useful as you write the Final Field Report. One paragraph answers are better than one page answers, when possible.
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Questions:
1) Where and when was the earliest evidence of human habitation in the region? Evidence? ["Habitation" means people lived in the region; this does not require permanent housing.]
2) Describe the archaeological traditions (cultures) in the region. That is, who lived there and when? Evidence? It will help the organization of your answer to start with how many distinct archaeological cultures occupied the region and when. You can create names for these cultures if it helps organize your answer.
3) What did people eat? Think about differences between wild and domesticated foods. Evidence?
4) What did they live in? Evidence?
5) Were the people identified through excavation and survey in the Kara Kavan immigrants (migrants into a populated region) or the founder population (original inhabitants)? Evidence?
6) Did any major social transformations (e.g., substantial changes in the social, economic, political, or technological organization of a society) occur among the people of the region? If so, when and what type of transformations occurred? Evidence?
7) What changes do you detect in the economic strategies (cultivation, hunting, gathering, trade) of the peoples of the region? Evidence?
8) What type of sampling method produced the evidence available to interpret the region? How does this sample influence your interpretation?
9) Describe the relationship through time between the Kara Kavan and neighboring areas? Evidence?
10) Does the archaeological and historical record contain traces of the Ta Tai Wan or of the Ourophores? Evidence?
11) If you were to lead additional excavation in the study area, where would you excavate and why? Before you answer this question state a research question. Remember that all excavation begins with a research question.
12) Please write a brief narrative of the culture history of the Kara Kavan. The answers to the questions above will inform your narrative; you do not need to describe all the evidence. Write this narrative as if you were writing a credible Wikipedia entry for the Kara Kavan or presenting a 1-2 minute talk on the region. It should be thorough, interesting, and accurate (supported by the evidence). Don't forget to anchor your descriptions in time.
Peer review: Strongly recommended
Exceeds Expectations: All answers are strongly supported by the available evidence. Multiple lines of evidence, when available, are always used to support inferences. Figures/tables used to clarify relevant supporting data. Demonstrates mastery of inferring human behavior from archaeological evidence. Clearly written, thorough, and understandable. Grammatical errors are minimal to non-existent. The presentation of results demonstrates strong and appropriate use of archaeological key concepts and terms, a desire to be understood, and is a pleasure to read.
Meets Expectations: Most answers are strongly supported by the available evidence. Multiple lines of evidence, when available, are often used to support inferences. Some figures/tables used to clarify relevant supporting data. Demonstrates competence in inferring human behavior from archaeological evidence. Most answers and descriptions of evidence are clearly written, thorough, and understandable. The presentation of results demonstrates a competent use of archaeological key concepts and terms, a desire to be understood, and does not create confusion in a reader.
Does Not Meet Expectations points: Some answers are strongly supported by the available evidence. Multiple lines of evidence, when available, are sometimes used to support inferences. Some figures/tables used to clarify relevant supporting data. Minimal use of figures/tables to clarify relevant supporting data. Demonstrates some competence inferring human behavior from archaeological evidence. Writing quality is uneven grammatical errors present.
Other: Answer quality is uneven and answers do not represent a sufficient demonstration of an understanding of archaeological interpretation.
The project is a realistic but fictional problem of analysis and interpretation in archaeology. The problem is set in an imaginary region of the world and the data conform closely to actual developments in each region. Because I have adapted the problem from a copyrighted source, I have placed the project problem on Canvas ("Files"). Please note that there are two documents (Part 1 and Part 2) you must read to complete the project. There are four questions to answer at the end of Part 2. Please IGNORE those questions and answer the questions below.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:
Answer each question then identify the specific archaeological evidence that supports each of your answers. Each question should contain a separate and similar supporting paragraph describing the evidence that supports your interpretation of the inferred human behavior. Answer the questions in complete sentences. You should include tables, figures/graphs as evidence to support your answers, as needed. Creating a timeline can be particularly helpful for interpreting the past. Remember to state when and where what you describe occurred (for each question/answer). You can generalize by region if describing every site is too cumbersome and does not provide additional support for your answer.
Example of answer format (number each question): "The people of x in the western region ate... during the y period. The people of z in the eastern region ate ... during the q period." (Skip a line)
The evidence that supports this inference includes....This evidence provides [low, moderate, strong] support for the presence of this activity/behavior at A and B at time Z because ..... However, we should be cautious of full acceptance of this inference because of (if necessary).....Additional x data from y should be sought to strengthen our understanding of z."
The one to two sentence answer to the question is your claim (it is also a topic sentence).
The paragraph that follows your answer/claim is an argument that explains and defends your claim.
In a Final Report, this will be the structure of many interpretive paragraphs. You are developing technical writing skills that will be useful as you write the Final Field Report. One paragraph answers are better than one page answers, when possible.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Questions:
1) Where and when was the earliest evidence of human habitation in the region? Evidence? ["Habitation" means people lived in the region; this does not require permanent housing.]
2) Describe the archaeological traditions (cultures) in the region. That is, who lived there and when? Evidence? It will help the organization of your answer to start with how many distinct archaeological cultures occupied the region and when. You can create names for these cultures if it helps organize your answer.
3) What did people eat? Think about differences between wild and domesticated foods. Evidence?
4) What did they live in? Evidence?
5) Were the people identified through excavation and survey in the Kara Kavan immigrants (migrants into a populated region) or the founder population (original inhabitants)? Evidence?
6) Did any major social transformations (e.g., substantial changes in the social, economic, political, or technological organization of a society) occur among the people of the region? If so, when and what type of transformations occurred? Evidence?
7) What changes do you detect in the economic strategies (cultivation, hunting, gathering, trade) of the peoples of the region? Evidence?
8) What type of sampling method produced the evidence available to interpret the region? How does this sample influence your interpretation?
9) Describe the relationship through time between the Kara Kavan and neighboring areas? Evidence?
10) Does the archaeological and historical record contain traces of the Ta Tai Wan or of the Ourophores? Evidence?
11) If you were to lead additional excavation in the study area, where would you excavate and why? Before you answer this question state a research question. Remember that all excavation begins with a research question.
12) Please write a brief narrative of the culture history of the Kara Kavan. The answers to the questions above will inform your narrative; you do not need to describe all the evidence. Write this narrative as if you were writing a credible Wikipedia entry for the Kara Kavan or presenting a 1-2 minute talk on the region. It should be thorough, interesting, and accurate (supported by the evidence). Don't forget to anchor your descriptions in time.
Peer review: Strongly recommended
Exceeds Expectations: All answers are strongly supported by the available evidence. Multiple lines of evidence, when available, are always used to support inferences. Figures/tables used to clarify relevant supporting data. Demonstrates mastery of inferring human behavior from archaeological evidence. Clearly written, thorough, and understandable. Grammatical errors are minimal to non-existent. The presentation of results demonstrates strong and appropriate use of archaeological key concepts and terms, a desire to be understood, and is a pleasure to read.
Meets Expectations: Most answers are strongly supported by the available evidence. Multiple lines of evidence, when available, are often used to support inferences. Some figures/tables used to clarify relevant supporting data. Demonstrates competence in inferring human behavior from archaeological evidence. Most answers and descriptions of evidence are clearly written, thorough, and understandable. The presentation of results demonstrates a competent use of archaeological key concepts and terms, a desire to be understood, and does not create confusion in a reader.
Does Not Meet Expectations points: Some answers are strongly supported by the available evidence. Multiple lines of evidence, when available, are sometimes used to support inferences. Some figures/tables used to clarify relevant supporting data. Minimal use of figures/tables to clarify relevant supporting data. Demonstrates some competence inferring human behavior from archaeological evidence. Writing quality is uneven grammatical errors present.
Other: Answer quality is uneven and answers do not represent a sufficient demonstration of an understanding of archaeological interpretation.
