Introduction to artefact analysis

What is an artefact? What are the different ways that archaeologists can learn more about them? Dr Juliet Spedding answers these questions in this online workshop.  

To continue discussing this topic with your class try using the below worksheet questions (answers are at the bottom of the page). You can also download the worksheet questions and worksheet answers to use in class.

Worksheet questions

1) List organic materials and inorganic materials.

2) What environments are needed for wood to survive in the archaeological record?

3) Fibers are derived from __________ and __________.

4) Cotton is an example of what type of plant fiber?

5) Picture question (see slide) – what type of plant fibers are shown on the slide? Bast or seed?

6) What is the provenance?

7) Petrology was first used by i)_________ and has since been borrowed by ii)__________.

8) The two forms of optical/light microscopy are ___________ and _____________.

9) What type of optical/light microscope would you use to examine metals?

10) What colour does quartz grains appear under polarised light?

11) What does the scanning electron microscope use to create images? Photons or electrons?

12) What are the two modes of operation for images for the SEM?

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Worksheet answers 

Question 1) Organic: plant and animal. Inorganic: ceramics, metals, glass, stone and things derived from stone, pigments.

Question 2) Arid or waterlogged.

Question 3) Animals, plants.

Question 4) Seed.

Question 5) Bast.

Question 6) Where an object was found.

Question 7) i) Geologists, ii) archaeologists.

Question 8) Transmitted, reflected.

Question 9) Reflected.

Question 10) Black.

Question 11) Electrons.

Question 12) Secondary electron images (SEI), backscatter electron images (BSI).