Decoding the Past: The Work of Archaeologists - Smithsonian

16 Pages·1995·0.41 MB·English

by  Alan Smigielski

RT OO
to
T E A C H I N G W I T H T H E P O W E R O F O B J E C T S
Smithsonian Institution November/December 1995
DECODING THE PAST: The Work of Archaeologists
Inside Subjects Grades Publication of Art to
Zoo is made possible
Lesson Plan Social Studies 4–9
through the generous
support of the Pacific
Take-Home Page Science
Mutual Foundation.
in English/Spanish
Language Arts
CONTENTS
Introduction page 3
Lesson Plan Step 1 page 6
Worksheet 1 page 7
Lesson Plan Step 2 page 8
Worksheet 2 page 9
Lesson Plan Step 3 page 10
Take-Home Page page 11
Take-Home Page in Spanish page 13
Resources page 15
Art to Zoo’s purpose is to help teachers bring into
their classrooms the educational power of museums
and other community resources.
Art to Zoo draws on the Smithsonian’s hundreds
of exhibitions and programs—from art, history, and
science to aviation and folklife—to create classroom-
ready materials for grades four through nine.
Each of the four annual issues explores a single
topic through an interdisciplinary, multicultural Above photo: The layering of the soil can tell archaeologists
much about the past. (Big Bend Reservoir,South Dakota)
approach.
The Smithsonian invites teachers to duplicate
Cover photo: Smithsonian Institution archaeologists take a
Art to Zoo materials for educational use. break during the River Basin Survey project,circa 1950.
DECODING THE PAST:
The Work of Archaeologists
Whether you’re ten or one hundred years old, you have a sense of the past—the
human perception of the passage of time, as recent as an hour ago or as far back as a
decade ago. We are all explorers of this past, seeking the meaning of today from what
happened yesterday. The past stretches far beyond our own experiences; it takes its
shape from those who have come before us. The collective memories of our parents and
grandparents provide us with an image of more than two generations of human triumphs
and tragedies. In fact, the lens of history allows us to view more than thirty centuries of
human experience chronicled by a multitude of men and women.
As valuable as they are, standing of peoples both past other evidence of past human ologist can survey the area
however,written accounts and present. You can use the activity. through careful observation
cannot present a complete lesson plans as part of either Finding written records of of surface features and
record of human history. a world cultures curriculum history is different from dis- exposed artifacts. If the
Documents speak only of lit- or any social studies unit that covering archaeological puz- researcher discovers enough
erate societies and are often explores methods of under- zle pieces. A historian might evidence,he or she can
incomplete. These records standing the past. know where to look for a employ an arsenal of high-
are blind to the thousands of potentially important docu- tech tools to explore a site
years of human experience ment—perhaps in an archive further.
before the invention of writ- THE PUZZLE OF THE PAST or a collection of personal One frequently used tool
ing. To recover this vibrant papers. In comparison,an is aerial photography. Views
human past without written The human past is like a archaeologist usually has from the sky offer unique
history or memory,we must vast,uncompleted jigsaw fewer leads but just as many perspectives on an archaeo-
turn to archaeology—the puzzle with many scattered ways of learning about logical site,often revealing
study of material remains pieces. To a historian,the the past. features that might be less
to learn about past human pieces of this puzzle are let- apparent from the ground.
experiences. ters,journals,books,and By carefully examining pat-
Archaeology and its maps—in short,the whole SITE SEEING terns of shadows,soil colors,
potential to increase our host of written documents and crop growth,an archae-
understanding of the distant that have survived over time. The first challenge faced ologist may detect the
and the recent human past Documents might be as rare by archaeologists is locating remains of sunken features
have long been cornerstones as an original copy of the a site that will yield clues such as walls,ditches,and
of the research done at the Declaration of Independence about the people who once earthworks.
Smithsonian Institution and or as common as the daily lived there. To that end,sev- At ground level,a variety
are the subject of this issue newspaper. eral nondestructive methods of remote sensing techniques
of Art to Zoo. The pho- An archaeologist searches can help determine whether a can be used to investigate a
tographs of Smithsonian for different pieces of this certain area may contain arti- site without disturbing it.
archaeologists and activities same puzzle. However,rather facts. If a site was once the Depending on a soil’s com-
that follow encourage your than seek what has been home of a literate society,an position,an archaeologist
students to think about how written,he or she looks for archaeologist can often con- might use ground-penetrating
human-made objects and what has been left behind— sult written records for possi- radar,soil-resistivity testing
other indicators of human in the form of artifacts ble clues. When documents (measuring a soil’s electrical
life can enrich our under- (human-made objects) and are not available,the archae- resistance),or magnetic
Simplified Ground level
stratigraphy Layer A(cid:13)
Present
displaying the
chronological
G
o
progression of in Layer B(cid:13)
g
soil layers ba 1950s
c
k
in
to
th Layer C(cid:13)
e
p 1920s
a
s
t
Layer D(cid:13)
1890s
(cid:13)
Figure 1
An open-area excavation at Big Bend Reservoir,South Dakota
surveys to determine the survey the site meticulously As an excavation pro- archaeologists to examine a
nature of the materials that and map it on a grid within gresses,it uncovers the past site’s general stratigraphy
lie below the surface. a coordinate system. in both horizontal and verti- and are later removed to
Ultimately,however,careful- Researchers then reference cal dimensions. The horizon- reveal whatever might lie
ly directed digging in a site the locations of all unearthed tal dimension reveals a site within them.
can reveal much more than artifacts or features to their as it was at a fixed point in Researchers use more
all the nondestructive coordinates within the wider time. The vertical dimension intrusive excavation methods
methods combined. site. Archaeologists note shows the sequence of when a site will be obstruct-
unexcavated areas just as changes within a site over ed or destroyed by some
carefully,because they may time. Excavation methods form of modern develop-
DIGGING IN THE DIRT be of interest to other archae- vary according to which ment,such as a shopping
ologists in the future. dimension of the past an center. These “salvage”pro-
To an archaeologist,the Many of the tools used in archaeologist chooses to jects force archaeologists to
soil resembles a historical excavation are surprisingly study. A researcher seeking a race against time to find evi-
document; the researcher familiar. Archaeologists detailed “snapshot”of a par- dence. To this end,they con-
must decipher,translate,and employ common household ticular point in time would duct “reconnaissance”sur-
interpret the soil before it can utensils such as ladles, likely initiate a large,open- veys (small-scale excava-
help him or her understand spoons,dustpans,and brushes area excavation. This tech- tions) at random locations,
the human past. But unlike a to move small amounts of nique requires archaeologists along a predetermined site
document,the soil of an earth. They use flat-edged to uncover a site layer by grid,or wherever they sus-
archaeological site can be shovels to remove larger vol- layer until reaching the level pect they may find archaeo-
interpreted only once in the umes of soil and root cutters of the desired time period. logical evidence.
state in which it is found. and small hand saws to extract Alternately,an archaeologist Researchers gather two
The very process of excava- grounded tree roots. However, seeking to understand the very different sets of infor-
tion destroys a site forever, no single tool is more synony- progression of time at a site mation during the course of
making such an investigation mous with archaeology than would probably employ a any excavation. They can
a costly experiment that the small mason’s trowel. The grid excavation. Under this examine tangible findings,
cannot be repeated. sturdy,welded body and method,workers dig evenly such as artifacts and the
Accordingly,archaeolo- tough,steel blade of this tool spaced square holes,leaving remains of plants,animals,
gists conduct excavations make it ideally suited for baulks(wall-like unexcavat- and humans,well after an
with great care. Before an gingerly removing successive ed areas) between the excavation has ended.
excavation begins,they layers of soil. squares. Baulks allow However,excavation
4 Art to Zoo Decoding the Past:The Work of Archaeologists November/December 1995
An example of ter- Ground level An example of Ground level
Layer A(cid:13)
minus post quem. Layer A(cid:13) terminus ante
The 1885 coin in quem. Layer C
Layer E establish- is an undisrupt-
es that Layer E Layer B(cid:13) ed tile floor of Layer B(cid:13)
dates from on or the 1860s. It fol-
Bottle cap
after 1885. It fol- lows that Layers
Layer C(cid:13) 1860s tile floor
lows that the pot- D,E,and F date
Layer C(cid:13) Layer D(cid:13)
tery fragment in before the
Scattered (cid:13)
Layer D and the 1860s. glass fragments(cid:13)
bottle cap in Layer E(cid:13)
Layer D(cid:13)
Layer B likely Charcoal
Pottery (cid:13)
date from or after fragment (cid:13)
1885 as well. Layer F(cid:13)
Layer E(cid:13)
Scattered (cid:13)
masonry
1885 coin (cid:13)
(cid:13)
Figure 2 Figure 3
destroys contextual features, in,first out”— meaning that (carbon 14) that decays at a and other inorganic materials
such as building remains,as an archaeologist usually known and steady rate, is through typology—compar-
they are uncovered. To pre- removes soil layers in the archaeologists can determine ing undated samples with
serve vital information about reverse order in which they an organic object’s age (if it those from associated sites
these remains,archaeologists were laid down (see Figure is less than 40,000 years old) that have been dated through
painstakingly catalog every 1). In relative soil dating, by measuring the amount previous excavations.
nuance of a site through archaeologists follow two of carbon 14 remaining in
volumes of photographs and general principles known as the object.
drawings. terminus post quemand ter- Dating inorganic materials DECODING THE PAST
minus ante quem. Terminus is also quite challenging,
post quemrefers to the because relatively few arti- After an archaeologist has
INTERPRETING THE notion that a datable object facts come labeled with a date gathered,catalogued,and
EVIDENCE provides only the date on or of manufacture. In fact,pot- interpreted all of the evidence,
after which the layer of soil tery,the most common type he or she begins the most
During and after an exca- that contains it was deposited of artifact found at archaeo- important reporting task of all:
vation,an archaeologist con- (see Figure 2). In contrast, logical sites,seldom contains putting a human face on the
fronts a bewildering collec- terminus ante quem refers to obvious indications of its age. past. A final archaeological
tion of artifacts,drawings, the concept that all the soil Archaeologists sometimes use report often reflects years of
and photographs to decipher below a solid,undisturbed thermoluminescence dating to cooperative work among
and relate to one another. layer dates before that layer establish the age of pottery. experts from disciplines as
Using both relative and (see Figure 3). This technique is similar to diverse as history,medicine,
absolute dating methods,an Relative dating of a site’s carbon 14 dating in that,like anthropology,chemistry,
archaeologist can often place stratigraphy often depends on organic substances,pottery geology,and biology.
a site within a larger chrono- the absolute dating of exca- contains small amounts of Through the tireless work
logical framework. vated materials and artifacts. radioactive elements that of these experts,the distant
In relative dating,archae- One of the most widely used decay at known and steady past again resonates with the
ologists interpret artifacts methods of determining the rates. An archaeologist can sound of human voices.
based on their positions with- absolute date of organic determine the age of a pottery Across the millennia,the
in the stratigraphy(horizon- materials is radiocarbon (car- fragment by measuring the fragments of human experi-
tal layering) of the soil. The bon 14) dating. Because all remaining amount of radioac- ence remind us that those
study of stratigraphy follows living organisms contain a tive elements that it contains. who have come before were
the excavation axiom “last radioactive form of carbon Another way of dating pottery every bit as human as we are.
Art to Zoo Decoding the Past:The Work of Archaeologists November/December 1995 5
LESSON PLAN
Step 1
ARCHAEOLOGICAL the story of each site. Place
THINKING each site’s artifacts in a sepa-
rately numbered bag (num-
Objectives bered 1 through 4 or 5).
n Identify “artifacts”from a 2. At the beginning of the
contemporary setting. next class,discuss the differ-
n Describe the function of ence between historians and
each artifact. archaeologists by asking
n Interpret possible associa- your students how we know
tions between artifacts. that an event happened in the
past. Answers may vary,but
Materials
students will probably con-
n Four or five small paper or
clude that information about
plastic bags. Artifacts are uncovered by the careful removal of surrounding
the past event was recorded
n Artifacts (nontoxic refuse soil with brushes and trowels. (Medicine Creek Reservoir,
in some form. You may wish
from the school building). Nebraska)
to have your students suggest
n Copies of Worksheet 1,
various methods of docu-
page 7.
menting past events (e.g., 3. Using the Introduction object is made of and how it
n Pens or pencils.
oral histories,written as a guide,tell your students may have been used. (Tell
records,video and audio that they will be learning students to put this informa-
Subjects
recordings,and digital data) how archaeologists use phys- tion on their worksheets.)
Social studies,science,
and have them evaluate how ical evidence in the form of Students may find some
language arts
each method differs from the artifacts (human-made objects easier to identify than
others. Tell your students that objects) to learn about the others. Walk among the
Procedure
historians use all of these past. Tell them to imagine groups and provide hints as
1. Choose four or five
recorded sources to under- that an archaeological expe- necessary. After the students
areas in your school with
stand the past. (Be sure to dition at your school has have identified the objects,
which students are familiar
note that not all societies recently uncovered a number ask them to speculate where
(e.g.,your classroom,the
have kept records and that of artifacts that the class these objects may have been
cafeteria,and the library).
records can often be incom- must now examine and inter- found. (Tell students to put
Observe each location,not-
plete or biased.) Next,ask pret. Stress that the students this information on their
ing what students commonly
your students how they might were picked for this job worksheets.)
do there (e.g.,study,eat,and
learn about a past event if because they were the fore- 5. Conclude the activity
socialize). After school hours
they could not read about it most experts on the archaeo- by having a representative
or when the areas are clear of
or view it on videotape. logical sites. from each group explain its
students,examine the trash
Some students may find this 4. Divide your class into interpretation of the objects.
and recycle bins and the
question difficult. Ask them four or five groups of equal Provide explanations of the
floors for evidence of those
to think about the work of an size. Give each student a objects and their contexts as
student activities. Select arti-
archaeologist—what does copy of Worksheet 1 and necessary. Emphasize that
facts (e.g.,portions of candy
this type of researcher look provide each group with one archaeologists are often chal-
wrappers,plastic from pen
for? Students should con- of the numbered bags of arti- lenged with interpreting arti-
caps,and portions of student
clude that an archaeologist facts. Direct your students to facts that they cannot imme-
papers) that can help to tell
seeks physical evidence open the bags and carefully diately identify or date.
(clues) of the past. examine each object. Ask
them to consider what each
6 Art to Zoo Decoding the Past:The Work of Archaeologists November/December 1995
WORKSHEET 1 Group number
Archaeological Thinking
Artifact bag number
Directions: Use this worksheet to record your observations of the artifacts provided by your teacher.
Object Material it is made of What it was used for
(function)
Art to Zoo Decoding the Past:The Work of Archaeologists November/December 1995 7
LESSON PLAN
Step 2
LAYERS OF THE PAST Emphasize that soil forms down last. Students should Be sure to emphasize that the
from the gradual decay of conclude that the textbook on coin provides a reference
Objectives organic matter over time. A the bottom of the stack was time from which to determine
n Identify methods given soil’s layering is deter- laid down first while the text- when the remainder of the
archaeologists use to mined by the nature of the book on the top was laid books were laid down .)
relatively date soil layers. decaying organic matter down last. Tell your students Conclude your coverage of
n Interpret soil profiles. (e.g.,leaves and logs); that they just learned one of Rule 2 by having students
weather conditions; and the the most important rules of complete the questions for
Materials action of humans,animals, an archaeological excavation: Diagram B on the worksheet.
n Copies of Worksheet 2, and insects. The first layer of soil laid 5. Ask a student volunteer
page 9. 2. Explain to your stu- down is usually the last one to read Rule 3 aloud to the
n Five textbooks. dents that they will be learn- to come out. class. Instruct the volunteer
n One notebook. ing some of the basic rules 4. Give each student a to remove the top two text-
n Paper labels. archaeologists use to inter- copy of Worksheet 2. Tell books from the stack and
n Adhesive tape. pret the soil of a site. Ask a your students that they will place a notebook on top of
n Pens,pencils,and student volunteer to place a now be learning how archae- the three remaining stacked
markers. textbook on your desk (or ologists can date soil layers books. Have the volunteer
n One coin. any other flat surface visible using the artifacts and fea- write the current time on a
to the entire class). Have the tures they unearth. Ask a stu- slip of paper and attach it to
Subjects volunteer write the current dent volunteer to read Rule 2 or insert it in the notebook as
Social studies,science, time on a slip of paper large (from Worksheet 2) aloud to was done in lesson step 2.
language arts enough to be seen by the the class. Instruct the volun- Ask the class to relatively
class. Instruct the volunteer teer to unstack the textbooks date the layers of books
Procedure to attach the paper to the and remove the attached slips below the notebook.
1. Using the Introduction textbook using adhesive tape. of paper. Have the volunteer Conclude the activity by
as a guide,tell your students (If you are using books stack two books on top of having students complete
that archaeologists often whose covers damage easily, each other. Provide another the questions for Diagram C
study the soil of a site to you may wish to have the student volunteer with a coin, on the worksheet.
learn about the past. Ask volunteer place the paper and tell the class to imagine
your students if they have between two pages of the that the coin has just been
ever dug into the soil (e.g., book,sticking out slightly so minted. Ask the volunteer to
when putting in a garden or as to be visible.) record the current time on Answer key to questions
digging a fence post). What 3. Select four other stu- the chalkboard. Choose for Diagram B on page 9
did they notice about the dent volunteers to repeat les- another student to place the 1. 1895 or later
color and texture of the soil? son step 2. (Make sure stu- remaining three textbooks on 2. D and E
Answers may vary,but stu- dents stack the textbooks on the stack and place the coin 3. A and B
dents will probably conclude top of each other. At the end within the pages of one of
that the color and texture of of this process there should these books. Ask the class to Answers to questions
soil change with depth. be five stacked textbooks with relatively date the “layers”of for Diagram C on page 9
slips of paper taped to or books from the position of 1. Before the 1920s
inserted in them.) Ask your the coin. (This exercise may 2. A and B
students to determine which be difficult for some students.
textbook was laid down first
and which textbook was laid
8 Art to Zoo Decoding the Past:The Work of Archaeologists November/December 1995
WORKSHEET 2 Ground level
Layer A(cid:13)
Present
Layers of the Past
G Layer B(cid:13)
o 1950s
in
g
b
a
c Layer C(cid:13)
k 1920s
in
to
Rule 1 the Layer D(cid:13) 1890s
p
An archaeologist digs as
t
down into the past. The
Layer E(cid:13)
1860s
top layer of soil is the
newest. The bottom
(cid:13)
layer is the oldest. Diagram A
Ground level
Layer A(cid:13)
Layer B(cid:13)
Layer C(cid:13) Questions for Diagram B
1895 coin
Rule 2 1. What appears to be the
When a datable artifact Layer D(cid:13) date of Layer C?
(such as a coin) is
found, the soil layer it (cid:13) 2. Which layers are probably
was found in can be older than Layer C?
Layer E(cid:13)
dated either after or at
the same date as the 3. Which layers are probably
artifact. Diagram B newer than Layer C?
(cid:13)
Ground level
Layer A(cid:13)
Layer B(cid:13)
Questions for Diagram C
Layer C(cid:13) 1920s tile floor
Layer D(cid:13)
Rule 3 1. What appears to be the
When a solid, undis- general date of Layers D
turbed layer (such as a Layer E(cid:13) and E?
tile floor) is found, all
the soil layers below it 2. Which layers are probably
date before that layer. Diagram C (cid:13) newer than Layer C?
Art to Zoo Decoding the Past:The Work of Archaeologists November/December 1995 9
LESSON PLAN
Step 3
PUZZLE PIECES (Be sure your students under-
stand that the artifact draw-
Objectives ings depict only pieces of
n Identify how archaelogists larger objects,much as
use typology to interpret archaeologists might find.)
artifacts. 3. After your students
n Interpret sample artifacts. have completed the Take-
Home Page,ask them what
Materials
they think each artifact is and
n Copies of the the Take-
what features of the field
Home Page,page 11.
drawings or descriptions led
n Pens or pencils.
them to their conclusions.
(Explain that archaeologists
Subjects use the term typologyto Archaeologists meticulously examine artifacts to learn more
Social studies,science, describe the matching of about the past. (Oahe Reservoir,South Dakota)
language arts
recently uncovered artifacts
with previously identified
Procedure
artifacts.) In some cases you
1. Ask your students to ANSWER CLAVES PARA LAS
may find that students may
imagine that they are expert KEY: RESPUESTAS:
not have identified all of the
archaeologists somewhere far
artifacts correctly. Provide
in the future. Tell them that Object 1 Objeto 1
the correct answers with
recent excavations have Television/VCR remote Control Remoto de
explanations as necessary.
unearthed what appear to be control Televisión-VCR
4. Conclude the activity by
several artifacts from the late
telling your students that
twentieth or early twenty- Object 2 Objeto 2
archaeologists often use typol-
first century. So far,no one Floppy disk Disquete de Computadora
ogy to relatively date artifacts
has been able to identify the
(especially pottery fragments).
function and purpose of the Object 3 Objeto 3
Stress that this is challenging
artifacts. The field drawings Door key Llave de una Puerta
work that requires years of
and artifact descriptions have
specialized study. Note that
been turned over to the fore- Object 4 Objeto 4
archaeologists often only have
most experts (your students) Fragment of a fork Pedazo de un Tenedor
fragments of artifacts to com-
for examination.
pare with other fragments,
2. Give each student a Object 5 Objeto 5
which may be thousands of
copy of the Take-Home Page. Base of a light bulb Base de un Bombillo
years old.
Tell them that they will need
to examine their collection of Object 6 Objeto 6
artifacts (at home,school,or Portion of a cassette tape Parte de un cassette
a friend’s house) to deter-
mine any similarities Object 7 Objeto 7
between their artifacts and Modular telephone plug Enchufe de un Teléfono
those in the field drawings.
Object 8 Objeto 8
Prong to an electrical cord Punta de un Cable Eléctrico
10 Art to Zoo Decoding the Past:The Work of Archaeologists November/December 1995