Anthropology 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Microfauna, Biofact (Archaeology), Paleobotany
17 Mar 2016
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Document Summary
Plant ecofacts: microfossils- too small to be seen with the naked eye. Ideniiable only to broad categories: macrofossils- readily visible to the naked eye. Zooarchaeology- studies animal remains: bones, teeth, antler, shell, insects. Assumpion: species lived in same environmental condiions in the past that they do in the present. Pollen diagram: tracks changes in relaive abundance of species. Animals- indicator species: small, less mobile species (microfauna) are more sensiive indicators, microfauna rarely eaten- more likely to have arrived on site through natural processes rather than human transport- relect local environment. Pastoralism: saami reindeer herders, features of pastoralists. Pracice a simple form of agriculture without irrigaion, ferilizaion or plough. Animal selecion: humans control the breeding of plants and animals and select for certain traits. Plants: increased seed size, more seeds, ightly clustered, reduced seed dispersal. Animals get smaller so they are easier to handle. Short-term special purpose camps used by horicultural/agricultural groups. Presence of seasonally available resources: fruit/nuts, migratory species.
