Summary
Highlights
The video introduces the continuation of Unit 2, focusing on artifact analysis. It emphasizes the importance of careful processing and organization of finds in the field to maintain context and allow for proper analysis and interpretation. The speaker highlights the need to identify patterns of change in material culture over time and space.
The discussion moves to the practical aspects of archaeological work, detailing the functions of a field laboratory. This includes maintaining records, updating stratigraphic drawings, and preparing special finds for specialists. The role of the lab in cleaning, labeling, and carefully packing artifacts is crucial for accurate data analysis and informed decision-making during excavation.
The core of the lecture centers on classification and typology as fundamental archaeological skills. The speaker explains that humans naturally categorize data, but everyday classifications may not suit archaeological purposes. Classification in archaeology is a research tool, not an unalterable principle, and must be flexible to accommodate new data and evolving research questions.
Two distinct ways of viewing classifications are introduced: taxonomy and systematics. Taxonomy, familiar from biological sciences, is a hierarchical system for classifying broad concepts. Systematics, on the other hand, is about creating specific units of classification within a scientific discipline. An example from biology (human classification) and archaeology (projectile points) are used to illustrate these concepts.
A Pomo basket serves as a detailed example to demonstrate the complexities and subtleties of artifact classification. The design of the basket incorporates cultural experience, functional attributes, and technological constraints. This highlights the challenge for archaeologists to measure variations in human artifacts and understand the underlying reasons for change, which are often complex and nuanced.
The video outlines four main objectives common to all archaeological studies: organizing data into manageable units, describing types, identifying relationships between types, and studying assemblage variability. These steps are crucial for effective data processing and understanding ancient toolkits and technologies.
Typology is defined as a system of classification based on the construction of types, which are groupings of artifacts based on form, chronology, function, or style. It's a method for finding patterns in objects and their variables, enabling objective comparisons between artifact samples. The discussion distinguishes between 'Splitters' (who create many new types for minor variations) and 'Lumpers' (who group diverse items into fewer types).
The lecture highlights that human instinct is to classify artifacts from a known cultural viewpoint. Artifacts had definitive roles in past societies, influenced by practical considerations, customs, or regulations. The example of the Oldowan tools at Olduvai Gorge, reinterpreted by Nicholas Toth through experimental archaeology, demonstrates how initial classifications can be challenged and refined with new approaches, revealing the actual intent and use of tools by early humans.
The video concludes by posing a critical question for archaeologists: should classifications aim to reproduce the categories conceived by the original makers, or should they prioritize analytical purposes? This question sets the stage for the next lecture, promising further exploration of the controversies in archaeological typology.