Question 1

How has Lewis-Williams explained the cave paintings at Lascaux?

Accepted Answer

A)  The paintings represented totems, from which lineages or clans believed themselves to be descended. 
B)  The paintings were left by hunters seeking to mark the territory as their own, and provided a sign to other hunters that they were not welcome. 
C)  The paintings had no real symbolic meaning, and were essentially "art-for-art's sake," appreciated for its aesthetic value but containing little cultural meaning. 
D)  The paintings are related to altered states of consciousness, and ultimately represent Upper Paleolithic people pondering the meaning of life. 
A)  The paintings represented totems, from which lineages or clans believed themselves to be descended. 
B)  The paintings were left by hunters seeking to mark the territory as their own, and provided a sign to other hunters that they were not welcome. 
C)  The paintings had no real symbolic meaning, and were essentially "art-for-art's sake," appreciated for its aesthetic value but containing little cultural meaning. 
D)  The paintings are related to altered states of consciousness, and ultimately represent Upper Paleolithic people pondering the meaning of life. D

Question 2

The analysis of past ritual behavior is archaeology's major contribution to the study of religion because:

Accepted Answer

A)  while all prehistoric cultures participated in ritual activities, many prehistoric cultures did not have religion. 
B)  rituals are behavioral acts that often entail material culture and that therefore can be represented in the archaeological record. 
C)  most archaeologists agree that prehistoric religion cannot be studied because it is archaeologically invisible; it is therefore a waste of time, energy, and money to attempt such a study. 
D)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  while all prehistoric cultures participated in ritual activities, many prehistoric cultures did not have religion. 
B)  rituals are behavioral acts that often entail material culture and that therefore can be represented in the archaeological record. 
C)  most archaeologists agree that prehistoric religion cannot be studied because it is archaeologically invisible; it is therefore a waste of time, energy, and money to attempt such a study. 
D)  All of the answers are correct. C

Question 3

In Upper Paleolithic cave art, humans are:

Accepted Answer

A)  rarely represented, and when they are represented are poorly executed compared to the marvelously depicted animal figures. 
B)  frequently represented, and represented in a realistic manner, similar to animal depictions. 
C)  represented as deities, controlling the plant and animal world. 
D)  never represented. 
A)  rarely represented, and when they are represented are poorly executed compared to the marvelously depicted animal figures. 
B)  frequently represented, and represented in a realistic manner, similar to animal depictions. 
C)  represented as deities, controlling the plant and animal world. 
D)  never represented. A

Question 4

Studying ancient modes of thought requires the interpretation of symbols, objects, or acts that by cultural convention stand for something else with which they have no necessary connection.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of the following was NOT part of Dorset Culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hunting seals 
B)  A hunter-gatherer lifestyle 
C)  Subsistence farming 
D)  Ivory carvings 
A)  Hunting seals 
B)  A hunter-gatherer lifestyle 
C)  Subsistence farming 
D)  Ivory carvings

Question 6

Which of the following is true of the interpretation of Upper Paleolithic cave art?

Accepted Answer

A)  Most archaeologists agree that cave art represents sympathetic magic, or rituals in which doing something to an image produces the desired effect in the real object (e.g., drawing pregnant bison ensures fertility, or killing a stylized animal on the cave wall guarantees hunting success). 
B)  Most archaeologists agree that cave art should be interpreted within the structuralist paradigm, where all symbols define binary oppositions such as male and female. 
C)  Because we lack any associated ethnographic data for the Upper Paleolithic, it is very difficult to securely interpret the meaning of symbols used in this art. 
D)  Upper Paleolithic cave art represents the earliest beginnings of the human ability to appreciate art for its own aesthetic properties; it is thus "art-for-art's-sake," and animals drawn had no particular symbolic meaning. 
A)  Most archaeologists agree that cave art represents sympathetic magic, or rituals in which doing something to an image produces the desired effect in the real object (e.g., drawing pregnant bison ensures fertility, or killing a stylized animal on the cave wall guarantees hunting success). 
B)  Most archaeologists agree that cave art should be interpreted within the structuralist paradigm, where all symbols define binary oppositions such as male and female. 
C)  Because we lack any associated ethnographic data for the Upper Paleolithic, it is very difficult to securely interpret the meaning of symbols used in this art. 
D)  Upper Paleolithic cave art represents the earliest beginnings of the human ability to appreciate art for its own aesthetic properties; it is thus "art-for-art's-sake," and animals drawn had no particular symbolic meaning.

Question 7

Processual archaeology is appealing to some archaeologists because it:

Accepted Answer

A)  is concerned with discovering and interpreting symbolic relationships between material culture and the human mind. 
B)  emphasizes the values, ideas, and beliefs that make people human, and is less concerned with the material conditions of existence. 
C)  places priority on the very things that archaeologists are most confident in recovering from archaeological sites, such as environment, technology, and economy. 
D)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  is concerned with discovering and interpreting symbolic relationships between material culture and the human mind. 
B)  emphasizes the values, ideas, and beliefs that make people human, and is less concerned with the material conditions of existence. 
C)  places priority on the very things that archaeologists are most confident in recovering from archaeological sites, such as environment, technology, and economy. 
D)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 8

A social institution containing a set of beliefs about supernatural beings and forces and one's relation to them is termed

Accepted Answer

A)  ritual. 
B)  iconography. 
C)  religion. 
D)  kinship. 
A)  ritual. 
B)  iconography. 
C)  religion. 
D)  kinship.

Question 9

Upper Paleolithic cave art in France and Spain reached its height during the Magdalenian, the last major culture of the European Upper Paleolithic period, dating to between 16,000 and 10,000 BC.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

The earliest evidence of artistic expression occurs years ago, but becomes widespread only years ago.

Accepted Answer

A)  40,000/10,000 
B)  90,000/40,000 
C)  200,000/90,000 
D)  500,000/200,000 
A)  40,000/10,000 
B)  90,000/40,000 
C)  200,000/90,000 
D)  500,000/200,000

Question 11

Lewis-Williams suggests that vision quests may have been held in the deepest cave spaces.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Using some historical or ethnographic information, as burger and Miller did with Chavin art, is the most secure way to go from to .

Accepted Answer

A)  meanings/symbols 
B)  symbols/meanings 
C)  totem/religion 
D)  religion/totem 
A)  meanings/symbols 
B)  symbols/meanings 
C)  totem/religion 
D)  religion/totem

Question 13

Which of the following is true of symbols and symbolic behavior?

Accepted Answer

A)  The ability to use symbols lies at the heart of what it means to be human; uniquely human attributes, such as language, are made possible by the ability to use symbols. 
B)  Symbols have no necessary connection to their culturally assigned meanings; this means that the same symbols can differ in meaning cross-culturally, and that symbolic behavior is difficult to study archaeologically. 
C)  The same symbol can carry different meanings in different contexts within the same culture. 
D)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  The ability to use symbols lies at the heart of what it means to be human; uniquely human attributes, such as language, are made possible by the ability to use symbols. 
B)  Symbols have no necessary connection to their culturally assigned meanings; this means that the same symbols can differ in meaning cross-culturally, and that symbolic behavior is difficult to study archaeologically. 
C)  The same symbol can carry different meanings in different contexts within the same culture. 
D)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 14

Most archaeologists would agree that recent advances in archaeological methods and analytic techniques have made the study of prehistoric symbolic behavior as straightforward as the study of prehistoric subsistence strategies and technology.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The study of the origin, large-scale structure, and future of the universe is termed

Accepted Answer

A)  ritual. 
B)  religion. 
C)  iconography. 
D)  cosmology. 
A)  ritual. 
B)  religion. 
C)  iconography. 
D)  cosmology.

Question 16

Stonehenge was a place of sanctuary from invaders.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Why do many archaeologists feel that oral traditions are not as reliable a source of information as archaeological data?

Accepted Answer

A)  Oral traditions can change over time; the older the events described, the more likely that elements were dropped or added. 
B)  Oral traditions can be selective in what they remember, altering the nature or sequence of events over time to suit particular political needs. 
C)  Oral traditions often encode cultural and religious knowledge that is not rooted in the material world, and that therefore cannot be scientifically evaluated. 
D)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  Oral traditions can change over time; the older the events described, the more likely that elements were dropped or added. 
B)  Oral traditions can be selective in what they remember, altering the nature or sequence of events over time to suit particular political needs. 
C)  Oral traditions often encode cultural and religious knowledge that is not rooted in the material world, and that therefore cannot be scientifically evaluated. 
D)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 18

Dorset peoples may have learned some hunting techniques from polar bears.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Leroi-Gourhan's interpretation that the symbols used in Upper Paleolithic cave art, including abstract shapes and animal figures, were ultimately male and female symbols:

Accepted Answer

A)  was widely accepted by the archaeological community at the time, and is still considered the most likely interpretation of cave art today. 
B)  was based on ethnographic and ethnoarchaeological analogy, made stronger by the historical ties shared by modern Europeans and the prehistoric populations who created the cave art. 
C)  provides a good example of how archaeologists can escape the paradigm within which they are working to generate an objective and unbiased interpretation of archaeological data. 
D)  was most likely influenced by Freudian psychology, which was popular at the time. 
A)  was widely accepted by the archaeological community at the time, and is still considered the most likely interpretation of cave art today. 
B)  was based on ethnographic and ethnoarchaeological analogy, made stronger by the historical ties shared by modern Europeans and the prehistoric populations who created the cave art. 
C)  provides a good example of how archaeologists can escape the paradigm within which they are working to generate an objective and unbiased interpretation of archaeological data. 
D)  was most likely influenced by Freudian psychology, which was popular at the time.

Question 20

An object or act that by cultural convention stands for something else with which it has no necessary connection is a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  symbol. 
B)  sign. 
C)  icon. 
D)  artifact. 
A)  symbol. 
B)  sign. 
C)  icon. 
D)  artifact.

How has Lewis-Williams explained the cave paintings at Lascaux?

The analysis of past ritual behavior is archaeology's major contribution to the study of religion because:

In Upper Paleolithic cave art, humans are:

Studying ancient modes of thought requires the interpretation of symbols, objects, or acts that by cultural convention stand for something else with which they have no necessary connection.

Which of the following was NOT part of Dorset Culture?

Which of the following is true of the interpretation of Upper Paleolithic cave art?

Processual archaeology is appealing to some archaeologists because it:

A social institution containing a set of beliefs about supernatural beings and forces and one's relation to them is termed

Upper Paleolithic cave art in France and Spain reached its height during the Magdalenian, the last major culture of the European Upper Paleolithic period, dating to between 16,000 and 10,000 BC.

The earliest evidence of artistic expression occurs years ago, but becomes widespread only years ago.

Lewis-Williams suggests that vision quests may have been held in the deepest cave spaces.

Using some historical or ethnographic information, as burger and Miller did with Chavin art, is the most secure way to go from to .

Which of the following is true of symbols and symbolic behavior?

Most archaeologists would agree that recent advances in archaeological methods and analytic techniques have made the study of prehistoric symbolic behavior as straightforward as the study of prehistoric subsistence strategies and technology.

The study of the origin, large-scale structure, and future of the universe is termed

Stonehenge was a place of sanctuary from invaders.

Why do many archaeologists feel that oral traditions are not as reliable a source of information as archaeological data?

Dorset peoples may have learned some hunting techniques from polar bears.

Leroi-Gourhan's interpretation that the symbols used in Upper Paleolithic cave art, including abstract shapes and animal figures, were ultimately male and female symbols:

An object or act that by cultural convention stands for something else with which it has no necessary connection is a(n):

Meet Some New Archaeologists

The Structure Of Archaeological Inquiry

Doing Fieldwork Surveying For Archaeological Sites

Doing Fieldwork Why Archaeologists Dig Square Holes

Geoarchaeology and Site Formation Processes

Chronology Building How To Get A Date

The Dimensions Of Archaeology Time Space And Form

Taphonomy Experimental Archaeology And Ethnoarchaeology

People Plants and Animals In The Past

Bioarchaeological Approaches To The Past

Reconstructing Social And Political Systems Of The Past

Understanding Key Transitions In World Prehistory

Historial Archaeology Insights On American History

Caring For Our Cultural Heritage

Archaeology Apos S Future

Filters

Exam 12: The Archaeology Of The Mind

How has Lewis-Williams explained the cave paintings at Lascaux?

The analysis of past ritual behavior is archaeology's major contribution to the study of religion because:

In Upper Paleolithic cave art, humans are:

Studying ancient modes of thought requires the interpretation of symbols, objects, or acts that by cultural convention stand for something else with which they have no necessary connection.

Which of the following was NOT part of Dorset Culture?

Which of the following is true of the interpretation of Upper Paleolithic cave art?

Processual archaeology is appealing to some archaeologists because it:

A social institution containing a set of beliefs about supernatural beings and forces and one's relation to them is termed

Upper Paleolithic cave art in France and Spain reached its height during the Magdalenian, the last major culture of the European Upper Paleolithic period, dating to between 16,000 and 10,000 BC.

The earliest evidence of artistic expression occurs years ago, but becomes widespread only years ago.

Lewis-Williams suggests that vision quests may have been held in the deepest cave spaces.

Using some historical or ethnographic information, as burger and Miller did with Chavin art, is the most secure way to go from to .

Which of the following is true of symbols and symbolic behavior?

Most archaeologists would agree that recent advances in archaeological methods and analytic techniques have made the study of prehistoric symbolic behavior as straightforward as the study of prehistoric subsistence strategies and technology.

The study of the origin, large-scale structure, and future of the universe is termed

Stonehenge was a place of sanctuary from invaders.

Why do many archaeologists feel that oral traditions are not as reliable a source of information as archaeological data?

Dorset peoples may have learned some hunting techniques from polar bears.

Leroi-Gourhan's interpretation that the symbols used in Upper Paleolithic cave art, including abstract shapes and animal figures, were ultimately male and female symbols:

An object or act that by cultural convention stands for something else with which it has no necessary connection is a(n):

Meet Some New Archaeologists

The Structure Of Archaeological Inquiry

Doing Fieldwork Surveying For Archaeological Sites

Doing Fieldwork Why Archaeologists Dig Square Holes

Geoarchaeology and Site Formation Processes

Chronology Building How To Get A Date

The Dimensions Of Archaeology Time Space And Form

Taphonomy Experimental Archaeology And Ethnoarchaeology

People Plants and Animals In The Past

Bioarchaeological Approaches To The Past

Reconstructing Social And Political Systems Of The Past

Understanding Key Transitions In World Prehistory

Historial Archaeology Insights On American History

Caring For Our Cultural Heritage

Archaeology Apos S Future

Filters