Exam 4: Doing Archaeology and Biological Anthropology

NAGPRA dictates the ownership of physical and archaeological remains and sometimes places anthropologists and indigenous peoples at odds with one another.

How do researchers date the past? What are the limitations of each dating technique?

What is molecular dating? What is the basic assumption upon which this technique is based? Can you think of other potential applications of this technique beyond those mentioned in the text?

The so-called Piltdown man was once considered an unusual and perplexing human ancestor,but it turned out to be the jaw of a young orangutan attached to a Homo sapiens skull.What dating technique exposed the Piltdown fraud?

Why do archaeologists use flotation?

A haplogroup is a biological lineage defined by a specific cluster of genetic traits that occur together.

Anthropometry is the study of human culture using satellite imagery.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)gives ownership of Native American remains to living Native Americans.Under this act,

Historical archaeologists use written records to supplement the archaeological record.

What are the different kinds of research that fall under physical anthropology? How is such a wide range of topics linked?

A ________ is a biological lineage defined by a specific cluster of genetic traits that occur together.

Informed consent refers to people's agreement to take part in research after they have been fully informed about its purpose,nature,funding,procedures,and potential impact on them.

Anthropologists who study the past do not have to worry so much about ethical concerns,since their studies do not concern living people.

Under what conditions are fossils most likely to form?

Taphonomy is the science that examines the ways in which sediments accumulate in layers.

Informed consent refers to

The American Anthropological Association's Code of Ethics

Systematic survey and excavation

Data collected using systematic surveys do NOT typically address which of the following questions?

The study of ancient human,or hominin,diversity involves reconstructions based on collecting,analyzing,and dating physical and archaeological remains.Actual human behavior does not fossilize,except in the form of its material products,such as tools.Consider the ways you currently rely on electronic technologies to communicate with others and to read,write,and do research.For archaeologists in the distant future,how might this challenge their attempts to learn about the past?