-How archaeologists and historians examine the past.
-Types of sources.
-Organising an excavation
-What do artefacts tell us about the past
Both archaelogists and historians use sources and evidence to learn about the past.
Archaeologists learn about the past by studying artefacts. These are things people living long ago left behind them (eg. pottery). Artefacts are stored in a museum.
Historians find out about the past by studying written sources (ie what people wrote). Written sources are stored in an archive.
There are two types of sources.
Primary Sources come from the time being studied (it was made/written by the people being studied). Examples:-Artefacts - eg houses, tools or weapons.
-Written Sources - newspapers, diaries, books
- Visual Sources - paintings, pictures, videos
-Oral Sources - interviews, recordings
Secondary Sources come from after the time being studied. Your history text book tells you about the past even though it is fairly modern. It was written using information from a primary source.
When Historians study sources, they have to look out for examples of bias, prejudice and propaganda which can compromise the source.
Bias: this is when the writer of the source changes the account to favour the side of the arguement/conflict/etc that he/she prefers. The account is known as 'one-sided'.
Prejudice: This is when the writer has made up his or her mind before knowing all the facts.
Propoganda: Propoganda is when the writer is trying to use peoples feelings to make win over the readers point of view.
Sources are dated by archaelogists and historians. The common dates used are based on the Christian Calender which splits history into two sections: BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini - The year Christ was born)
Where do archaeologists dig?
Archaeologist find artefacts by excavating places where people once lived.
They usually decide to excavate:
-Near old buildings (eg castles)
-In city centres when houses are being replaced.
-Places where aerial photography shows signs of houses etc.
-Places connected to legends or stories (eg Hill of Tara)
What do archaeologists do on the dig?
Steps in an excavation:
-Make a plan of the site.
-Dig very carefully using trowels and brushes
-Catalogue and photograph each artefact found.
-Mark where each artefact is found on the plan of the site.
-Finally, Send each artefact to a museum where it can be studied and dated.
What can artefacts tell us?
-they tell us what people ate at the time (from bones, shells, seeds)
-they tell us what crops people grew (from pollen)
-The size and shapes of houses (from post holes)
-Clothes and Fashion (from scraps of cloths or leather)
-Culture and religion (from burials)
Stratigraphy: using the layers of the earth to date the item. The deeper the object is in the ground, the older it is.
Carbon Dating: Living matter contains carbon 14. When living things die, the carbon slowly drains away. Archaeologists can measure how much carbon is left and use this to date the artefact.
Dendrochronology: Trees which grow at a certain time have a similar pattern of tree rings. Archaelogists have a database of tree rings all through history, and they can compare wooden objects to this to date it.