Archeology, Archaeology
(a glossary of archeological terms particularly related to the field of research that can tell us about our origins and our remote past)
cuneiform
An ancient writing system of Mesopotamia, so called because the individual characters are wedge-shaped (cuneus is Latin for "wedge").
curiosity cabinet
From the Renaissance on, it became popular among the nobility of Europe to form "cabinet of curiosities", collections that displayed ancient artifacts alongside foreign curios, precious minerals, and exotic animal specimens.
determining a date, radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating was invented by the American chemist Willard f. Libby (1908-80) while conducting atom bomb research.
Today the method can provide a reliable date using a single grain of wheat.
diadem
A crown or headband, often covered with precious jewels or metals, worn as a symbol of authority.
Doric style
One of the three major orders of ancient Greek architecture.
dynasty
A ruling royal family or clan that holds power over several generations.
experimental archeology, or archaeology
The replication of ancient technologies in order to better understand ancient production processes and the use of specific artifacts.
faience
An opaque glaze made of crushed quartz that was applied to ceramic surfaces.
feature
A non-portable artifact on an archeological site; such as, a hearth or wall.
find
An individual artifact, often one of some significance.
findspot
The location of a find, measured and recorded three-dimensionally.
Four Corners region
That part of the United States surrounding the point where the states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona all converge.
geoglyph
A large-scale drawing carved or fashioned into the ground or landscape; such as, the Nasca Lines of Peru.
ground penetrating radar, GPR
Another tool used by archaeologists to search for archaeological features beneath the topsoil.
Ground penetrating radar or GPR works by sending high-frequency radar pulses from an antenna into the ground.
Buried materials or sediments and changes in the subsoil reflect the radar pulses back up to the antenna, and by measuring the time that has passed between when the pulses were sent and when they were received; an understanding of the changes in soils, sediments, and features can be determined.
Hellenistic
Referring to Greek culture after the time of Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.).
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Index of additional Scientific and Technological Topics.
