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Archaeology Vocab.
Term | Definition |
---|---|
archaeology | to study what is ancient |
artifact | object created or produced by humans then left behind |
bog | wet, spongy ground with soil composed mainly of decayed vegetable matter (acidic soil) |
coprolites | preserved feces (poop) |
decompose | to break down or rot |
dendrochronology | study of tree rings to date wooden remains |
excavate | to remove or expose by digging |
funerary objects | objects buried with the dead |
hieroglyphics | picture-symbol writing developed in ancient Egypt |
locus | a specific location in which artifacts are found |
mosaic | picture made from small pieces of rock or glass |
Mt. Vesuvius | volcano located between the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, erupted in 79 A.D. and destroyed both cities |
ostraca | broken piece of pottery on which there is writing |
papyrus | 1st form of paper made from the papyrus plant in ancient Egypt |
Pompeii | Roman city destroyed in 79 A.D. by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius |
preserve | to keep an item intact (uninjured) so that it will not decay |
quipus | groups of knotted strings used as an early calendar and as a way of recording events, keeping accounts, or sending messages |
Rosetta Stone | archaeological discovery that enabled scholars to decode hieroglyphics by comparing them to the Greek writing on the stone |
scribe | a high-ranking person who wrote documents |
site | a place or area to be excavated |
stratified site | place people have lived for thousands of years and built settlements, one on top of another |
stylus | sharp metal writing tool used by Romans to write on wax tablets |
trowel | small hand shovel, most commonly used archaeological tool |