The archeology It is the discipline that studies the conduct, behavior and beliefs of human groups through the examination of the material remains that man has left over time..
These materials that archaeologists investigate are of various shapes and sizes; They can be from small objects such as clay pots or arrowheads, to large buildings such as pyramids, bridges and temples.
Because the age of man-made objects and structures is lost in time, archeology has perfected a wide variety of methods to recover, study and analyze them. For this reason, it has adopted techniques and theories from other disciplines; has also developed its own methods and theoretical bases.
In conclusion, it can be established that archeology has a wide time line, which constitutes its margin of study and analysis; This covers from the beginning of human life to the present day.
Article index
Currently, archeology is a very well developed discipline, however, critical knowledge of its history is not very long. This is due to the little interest that researchers have developed in the history of this discipline and its processes..
Consequently, several authors affirm that, despite the fact that modern archeology is approximately 150 years old, the true historical deliberation on this branch of knowledge is the result of just the last three decades.
The bases of archeology arise from man's need to know his origins. In this regard, many ancient cultures - such as the Greek, Egyptian, and Mesoamerican - believed that humanity was tens of thousands of years old..
However, these beliefs were based on myths, which granted the gods the creation of the world and humanity. On the other hand, in Medieval Europe the only reference to the origins of man was found in written documents such as the Bible..
Later, in the seventeenth century, attempts to know the time of human creation concluded with the famous calculation made by the Irish Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656), who determined -according to the information provided by biblical writings- that the world was created at noon on October 23, 4004 BC.
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, aristocratic families and kings collected ancient works of art and artifacts simply out of curiosity or power..
Later, with the aim of increasing the collections, great excursions were made to the places where these objects were possibly. Thus the cities of Herculaneum (1738) and Pompeii (1748) were discovered.
These findings, despite being very important, were not exhaustively explained at the time by the disciplines.
One of the works that helped in the search for new avenues of knowledge for archeology was carried out by the Danish naturalist Niels Stensen (1638-1686), who in 1669 drew the first geological profile where the idea of temporality was reflected in the superposition of these layers.
Likewise, one of the first applications of the concept of temporality occurred in 1797, when the British John Frere (1740-1807) discovered a series of stone tools belonging to the Lower Palaeolithic in a quarry at Hoxne (Suffolk, England)..
It was not until the 19th century that archeology as a discipline began to adopt scientific methodology in its research and analysis..
At this time, the works of Christian J.Thomsen (1788-1865) determined the existence of the three ages in the history of mankind, these being the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. With this theory, the existence of time periods in the evolution of humanity was established..
At the end of this century, archeology managed to conform as a discipline; the figure of the archaeologist became professionalized and the findings began to be scientifically documented.
In the 20th century, what is known as the new archeology, with a very critical position regarding the procedures and interpretations applied so far. Currently, the new archaeologists raise the need for a deep and critical review of the nature and practice of archeology..
Archeology is a field of practical action that analyzes - from materiality and over time - human communities and societies, together with their environmental interrelationship. This implies the study and preservation of this materiality, which determines the duality of its practice..
Consequently, archeology is characterized by its temporal dimension, which allows it to work and investigate all human periods without distinction. His study ranges from prehistoric, classical and medieval archeology, to historical archeology and the archeology of the present..
There are many branches of archeology, some of which overlap each other.
Study the material records of humanity in the periods before the invention of writing.
Study the forms of writing and the records of past cultures. For this reason, it analyzes the everyday world of people; It is a union between history and anthropology, through which the archaeologist seeks to know the human processes and customs that originated today's societies..
Study the buildings and remains dating from the period after the Industrial Revolution.
Analyze the past through the present. That is, this discipline studies the current living groups of hunter-gatherers in regions such as Australia and Central Africa and records how they organize, behave and use objects and utensils..
In this way, the analysis of modern behavior can help to reveal the customs and behaviors of the past..
Study ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. This discipline encompasses the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire, and the transition between the two (the Greco-Roman period). Similarly, depending on the human groups studied, Egyptian archeology and Mesoamerican archeology have emerged..
It is the study of the environmental conditions that existed when the different civilizations developed.
It is the study and reconstruction of the techniques and processes used in the past to create objects, art and architectures..
This discipline analyzes the remains of materials found underwater due to shipwrecks or floods. Underwater archeology uses special techniques and sophisticated diving equipment to carry out these studies..
Evaluate archaeological remains found in construction sites. In this way, critical information is recorded and the archaeological find is preserved before the site is destroyed or covered..
Archeology provides the historical knowledge of all societies and their members; Therefore, it shows us the advances and achievements of human cultures in all times and spaces..
Likewise, archeology protects, preserves and presents the material past of human history, so that what humanity is today is defined in the findings and analysis of archeology..
On the other hand, archaeological knowledge is used by researchers in the area to support or connect subsequent analyzes. However, many authors draw attention to the correct use of this knowledge in archaeological narratives.
In short, archeology, studying the human groups of the past, produces historical knowledge that serves the humanity of the present to understand their current practices and the challenges of the future.
Today, there are a wide variety of methods and approaches that have had a positive impact on the evidence-gathering and interpretation procedures used by archeology..
Archaeologists use a wide variety of equipment, tools, and techniques. Some are created specifically for archeology and others are borrowed from other disciplines. Common archaeological tools include shovels and trowels for removing dirt, brushes and brooms, containers for transporting dirt, and sieves..
For the most delicate excavations, archaeologists use small, fine tools. Whereas, if the work is on a larger scale, excavators are used to remove only the top layer of the soil.
Using images obtained from satellites, space shuttles and airplanes, archaeologists identify the typology of the surface; while, geophysical exploration tools - such as penetration magnetometers and radars - are used to evaluate the characteristics of the subsurface..
Nowadays, electronic devices are also used to make maps of a certain area.
In 1947, Willard Libby showed that organic matter emits certain levels of radioactivity. This occurs because carbon-14 in the atmosphere combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide (COtwo), which is incorporated by plants during photosynthesis, then passing into the food chain.
In this way, when a living being dies, it stops assimilating carbon-14, decreasing the amount of the isotope over time. Using this knowledge, Libby was able to successfully date various samples.
The main application of carbon-14 dating is in archeology. The technique consists of measuring the radiation from a sample; This gives the current level of carbon-14 decay. Then, by means of a formula, it is possible to calculate the age of the sample.
Today, archeology uses the scientific method to conduct its research. These are the steps to follow during an archaeological study:
Before carrying out the studies and excavations, the archaeologists consider the problem to be solved and formulate the hypothesis. In other words, they consider the reason why to carry out the study. This previous step is supported by a search for information that will serve to structure the entire methodological framework of the research..
The necessary information is provided by myths and stories, historical reports, old maps, farmers' accounts of finds in their fields, satellite photographs showing non-visible schematics, and the results of subsurface detection methods..
The places identified through the collection of the information are plotted on a map. These maps constitute the first result or record during the archaeological investigation.
The archaeologists then assess and record the archaeological site with great accuracy. This process is carried out in order to safeguard the entire context of objects and structures.
The site is divided into squares to facilitate the location of each discovery and a detailed diagram of the site is created. Subsequently, an easily identifiable reference point is established at a known height.
In this way, in each square the objects are located vertically - in relation to the reference point - and horizontally according to the sides of the square and the structures..
At this stage, objects, structures and the physical environment where they are found are analyzed and studied. To do this, they are photographed, drawn, and detailed notes are taken; changes in soil texture, color, density and even smell are also noted.
The dirt removed from the object is sifted to recover other important elements such as seeds, small bones or other elements. These findings as a result of the sieving are also recorded in a very detailed way..
Ancient objects found underground or underwater must be treated appropriately once they are exposed to the air. This work is carried out by competent specialists.
Generally, conservation is carried out in a laboratory and the process consists of cleaning, stabilizing and complete analysis of the archaeological find. However, sometimes (and depending on the state of the objects), the conservation process begins in the field and ends in the laboratory..
At this stage, the archaeologist interprets the findings and tries to explain the historical process of the place. Specialists indicate that this interpretation is always incomplete because the complete record is never obtained. For this reason, the archaeologist evaluates what he obtains, reflects on what is missing and develops a theory about what happened..
The end result of any scientific process is the publication of the findings, maps and photographs along with an interpretation. This publication must be accurate and detailed so that other researchers can use it as a basis for their research..
Yet No Comments