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fandomhigh2006-01-12 02:34 pm
the-ascended.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2006-01-12 02:34 pm
Entry tags:
Archaeology, Period 5
"Today, we're going to start talking about the history of archaeology," Daniel says, as he stands at the front of the classroom with a cup of coffee.
"The exact origins of archaeology as archaeology is unknown."
"There's evidence that there was an interest in ancient objects as far back as Ancient Rome, but there is a difference between collecting objects for their curiosity or monetary value and collecting them for the information they can provide. Flavio Biondo," he turned to write the name on the board behind him, "who was an Italian Renaissance humanist historian created a systematic and documented guide to the ruins and topography of Ancient Rome in the early 15th century, for which he has been called an early founder of archaeology.
Britain was one of the first countries to develop a systematic approach to archaeology, and recognize it as its own disciple. The roots can be found in the studies of 17th and 18th century antiquarians, such as John Aubrey (1626-97) and William Stukeley (1687-1765).
They observed ancient sites, speculated about their age and function, collected artifacts and even carried out basic excavations to try and prove their theories.
John Aubrey was one of the first to realize that some of the sites he observed must belong to the pre-Roman period and is credited with bringing the monumental stone circle at Avebury in Wiltshire to the attention of Charles II. On the orders of the King he prepared a detailed description of Stonehenge and compiled a great work, Monumenta Brittanica, which contained a vast body of notes and drawings of sites of all periods."
Daniel paused for a moment, and looked at the class. "I'm trusting that you all know what Stonehenge is?" he asked. "If you don't, ask me now."
"William Stukeley was one of the first to investigate the sites that he had discovered by means of excavation and his observations, made before modern agriculture brought such radical changes to the landscape, are still valuable. He was the first to recognize the alignment of Stonehenge on the solstices, and saw the value of stratigraphical relationships for dating monuments. Stukeley also explored the wider relationships between monuments and was keen to put them into their landscape context. The accuracy of his descriptions of sites, however, has often been doubted, but recent discoveries, including the rediscovery of his lost Beckhampton Avenue, at Avebury, have nevertheless vindicated his description of that site. And unfortunately, in later years, he became obsessed with Druidism and tended to view much of what he observed as the result of their influence and labors. One exception was a long prehistoric enclosure near Stonehenge that he interpreted as a Roman chariot racing track, or 'cursus'. The date has changed but the name remains.
Both men experienced major problems with chronology. The first was of timescale as, according to the calculations of an Archbishop Usher, the Bible stated that the world was created in 4004 BC. The second was concerned with artifacts, which the early archaeologists interpreted as being more to do with status than age. They assumed that weapons or tools of stone must belong to the poorest members of society and those of iron to the middle ranks, while bronze was reserved for the higher orders. The potential for such objects to provide evidence of date rather than 'class' was unrecognized."
"All still awake? Any thoughts? Questions?" he asked.
"Tonight, you get your first piece of homework. The three-age system is a system of classifying human prehistory into three consecutive time periods, named for their respective predominant tool-making technologies. As it forms the next part in our chronology of archaeology, I'd like for you to make notes, however you wish, about it: who, where, why, how... you get the idea? I'll take the notes in on Tuesday to make sure you've got everything you need, and then hand them back to you.
I know you've not got booklists yetwhich I am doing. Promise., but just any general archaeology textbook in the library should have this in, and there's always the internet.
And one last thing... I'm still looking for a TA. It won't be hard, I promise. Please come and see me if you're interested.
Thank you, and I'll see you next week."
"The exact origins of archaeology as archaeology is unknown."
"There's evidence that there was an interest in ancient objects as far back as Ancient Rome, but there is a difference between collecting objects for their curiosity or monetary value and collecting them for the information they can provide. Flavio Biondo," he turned to write the name on the board behind him, "who was an Italian Renaissance humanist historian created a systematic and documented guide to the ruins and topography of Ancient Rome in the early 15th century, for which he has been called an early founder of archaeology.
Britain was one of the first countries to develop a systematic approach to archaeology, and recognize it as its own disciple. The roots can be found in the studies of 17th and 18th century antiquarians, such as John Aubrey (1626-97) and William Stukeley (1687-1765).
They observed ancient sites, speculated about their age and function, collected artifacts and even carried out basic excavations to try and prove their theories.
John Aubrey was one of the first to realize that some of the sites he observed must belong to the pre-Roman period and is credited with bringing the monumental stone circle at Avebury in Wiltshire to the attention of Charles II. On the orders of the King he prepared a detailed description of Stonehenge and compiled a great work, Monumenta Brittanica, which contained a vast body of notes and drawings of sites of all periods."
Daniel paused for a moment, and looked at the class. "I'm trusting that you all know what Stonehenge is?" he asked. "If you don't, ask me now."
"William Stukeley was one of the first to investigate the sites that he had discovered by means of excavation and his observations, made before modern agriculture brought such radical changes to the landscape, are still valuable. He was the first to recognize the alignment of Stonehenge on the solstices, and saw the value of stratigraphical relationships for dating monuments. Stukeley also explored the wider relationships between monuments and was keen to put them into their landscape context. The accuracy of his descriptions of sites, however, has often been doubted, but recent discoveries, including the rediscovery of his lost Beckhampton Avenue, at Avebury, have nevertheless vindicated his description of that site. And unfortunately, in later years, he became obsessed with Druidism and tended to view much of what he observed as the result of their influence and labors. One exception was a long prehistoric enclosure near Stonehenge that he interpreted as a Roman chariot racing track, or 'cursus'. The date has changed but the name remains.
Both men experienced major problems with chronology. The first was of timescale as, according to the calculations of an Archbishop Usher, the Bible stated that the world was created in 4004 BC. The second was concerned with artifacts, which the early archaeologists interpreted as being more to do with status than age. They assumed that weapons or tools of stone must belong to the poorest members of society and those of iron to the middle ranks, while bronze was reserved for the higher orders. The potential for such objects to provide evidence of date rather than 'class' was unrecognized."
"All still awake? Any thoughts? Questions?" he asked.
"Tonight, you get your first piece of homework. The three-age system is a system of classifying human prehistory into three consecutive time periods, named for their respective predominant tool-making technologies. As it forms the next part in our chronology of archaeology, I'd like for you to make notes, however you wish, about it: who, where, why, how... you get the idea? I'll take the notes in on Tuesday to make sure you've got everything you need, and then hand them back to you.
I know you've not got booklists yet
And one last thing... I'm still looking for a TA. It won't be hard, I promise. Please come and see me if you're interested.
Thank you, and I'll see you next week."
Class discussion
Chatting with the neighbour?Re: Class discussion
"I've been there! This guy my mom was dating took me and there were people there saying that the druids built it, but I don't think druids were at the same time Stonehenge was built. There was also a lot of people talking about how the stones matched these crop circles and that they were probably built by aliens or something as a landing site." Blair's pen was poised over his paper. "What do you think?"
Re: Class discussion
He nodded. "There are those who believe in it. I personally think aliens would have preferred the Egyptian pyramids as landing sites," he grinned. "I think you'll find that that generally the most accepted answer is that it was used as an astonomical calendar, used for clocking and predicting the seasons."
Re: Class discussion
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Some of which are mine and correct damn it. I find it's best not to take a lot of things at face value."Re: Class discussion
"Dude, I heard this one about the pyramids being way, way older than what we thought and like built by the aliens or something...what do you think about that??"Re: Class discussion
"I think that one you should believe because it's all true! I was right!"Re: Class discussion
"So crackpot theories are okay if they come from professors? Pfft. Whatever, man!"Re: Class discussion
"No, they're okay if you have proof. Even if it is all classified by the US Government. Just ask Professor Camulus where he would park his ship on Earth."Re: Class discussion
"Classfied by the government? You know this is just going to fuel all my crazy government-is-evil theories, don't you? I'm so going to find proof of that whole 'dancing giants' thing now."Re: Class discussion
"Well, possibly technically by the Air Force. Which is just going to fuel your military are hiding things theories, right?"Re: Class discussion
"THE MILITARY IS HIDING THINGS. THE MAN IS OUT TO GET US. THE MONKEYS KNOW THINGS!...uh...sorry. Yeah, totally. Pretty soon I'll be mumbling about the black helicopters and tinfoiling my windows"Re: Class discussion
"Technically, yes, they are. The Man is Irina Devervko omg! Wait. Wrong fandom. Monkeys probably do know things.
That's okay. Carry on. You're still probably as sane as most people here."
Re: Class discussion
"Dr Jackson, if all those things were dug up and interpreted wrong, is the potential knowlage that could be gained from them lost?"
Re: Class discussion