1.Ingeology,theprincipleofuniformitarianismassertsthat:​
a.​theprocessesthatmodifiedtheearth’ssurfaceinthepastareunknowablebecausetheycannotbedirectly
observed.
b.​theprocessesnowoperatingtomodifytheearth’ssurfacearethesameasthoseofthegeologicpast.
c.​theprocessesnowoperatingtomodifytheearth’ssurfacecannotsimplybeassumedtobethesameasthose
ofthegeologicpast,butmustbedemonstratedtobethesame.
d.​geologicprocessesaredistinctfromarchaeologicalprocessesandthatuniformitarianismonlyappliesto
geologicprocesses.
2.Ageologistobservesglacialmorainesandstriationsinanareathatistodaynotglaciated.Thegeologistinterprets
thosefeaturesasevidenceofpastglacialactivity.Heorsheisutilizing:​
a.​middleleveltheory.
b.​theprincipleofuniformitarianism.
c.​arelationalanalogy.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
3.Experimentalarchaeologyprovidesarchaeologistswithbridgingarguments,waystomakeinferencesaboutpast
behaviorfrommaterialremains.Whichofthefollowingisnotanexampleofexperimentalarchaeology?​
a.​UsingBritishschoolboystoseeiftheycouldmovestonessimilartothoseusedtobuildStonehenge.
b.​Usingastonetooltoscrapehideandthenexaminingmicrowearpresentonthetool’sedgetodeterminethe
typeofwearcausedbyhide-scraping.
c.​Usingseriationtoconstructawaytodatearchaeologicalsitesbasedonpaintedpotterystyles.
d.​Throwinghaftedspearpointsintoelephantcarcassestodeterminetheircapacityforpenetration.
4.Whichofthefollowingisanexampleofreasoningthroughuniformitarianprinciples,ratherthensimpleanalogy?​
a.​EthnographicdataonthehuntingandgatheringShoshoneinNevadasuggestthatinthe19thcenturythe
Shoshonelivedingroupsofabout25people;thereforeprehistoricpeoplewholivedinthesameareawith
thesameeconomyalsolivedingroupsofabout25.
b.​Ethnographicdatafromallovertheworldshowthathunter-gatherersliveingroupsofabout25people;
thereforeprehistorichunter-gatherersinthedesertsofNevadaalsolivedingroupsofabout25people.
c.​Ithasbeendemonstratedusingethnographicdatathatinavarietyofdifferentkindsofenvironmentsagroup
ofhunter-gatherersofabout25peoplecontainsabout7activehuntersandthisnumberissufficienttoensure
thatsomeonecomeshomewithgameeachday;increasingthenumberofhuntersbeyond7increasesthe
amountoffoodneededforthegroupbutdoesnotappreciablyincreasethechancethatsomehunterwill
comehomewithgame;thuswearguethatprehistorichunter-gatherersalsolivedingroupsofabout25
people.
d.​Ethnographicdataonhighlynomadichunter-gatherersindesertenvironmentswhodependheavilyonplants
forfoodratherthanonanimalsshowthattheyliveingroupsofabout25people;sinceprehistoricforagersin
theGreatBasindesertswerehighlynomadicandheavilydependentonplantfoodswearguethatprehistoric
peoplestherelivedingroupsof25people.
5.Asipapuis:​
a.​asmallpitinakivalocatedalongthewalloppositetheventilatorshaft.
b.​theplacewheretheHopisaresaidtohaveemergedintothisworldfromtheunderworld.
c.​theplacethroughwhichHopicommunicationwiththesupernaturalworldtakesplace.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
6.Analogiesjustifiedonthebasisofcloseculturalcontinuitybetweenthearchaeologicalandethnographiccasesor
similarityingeneralculturalformareknownas:​
a.​formalanalogies.
b.​relationalanalogies.
c.​middle-rangeanalogies.
d.​uniformitariananalogies.
7.Analogiesjustifiedbysimilaritiesintheformalattributesofarchaeologicalandethnographicobjectsandfeaturesare
knownas:​
a.​formalanalogies.
b.​relationalanalogies.
c.​middle-rangeanalogies.
d.​uniformitariananalogies.
8.Formalanalogiesarestrengthenedif:​
a.​manyethnographiccasesdemonstratethesamepattern,andthearchaeologicalandethnographiccaseshave
manyattributesincommon.
b.​theycanbedrawnbetweencultureswithdrasticallydifferentsettlementsystems,subsistencepractices,or
economies.
c.​closeculturalcontinuitycannotbedemonstratedbetweenarchaeologicalandethnographiccases.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
9.InferringthatprehistorickivashadthesamefunctionaskivasusedbyPuebloansocietiestodayisanexampleof:​
a.​aformalanalogy.
b.​arelationalanalogy.
c.​lowleveltheoryinterpretation.
d.​bothformalandrelationalanalogies.
10.Thegoalofmiddleleveltheoryisto:​
a.​determinewhethermodernculturesaccuratelyreflectprehistoriccultures.
b.​identifygenderthroughstonetoolanalysis.
c.​helpbuildsecureinferencesfromarchaeologicalremains.
d.​identifytheroleoftheindividualinarchaeologicalresearch.
11.StudyinghowalargeanimalcarcassdecomposesonanAfricansavannahtodeterminehowlongittakesthe
carcasstodisarticulateindifferentseasonsandwhichbonesarecarriedawaybycarnivoresisanexampleof:​
a.​ethnoarchaeology.
b.​taphonomy.
c.​experimentalarchaeology.
d.​geoarchaeology.
12.Taphonomyisusefultoarchaeologybecauseit:​
a.​showsthatmodernhumanbehaviorcanbeextendedintothepast,strengtheninginterpretationsofthe
archaeologicalrecord.
b.​helpsarchaeologistsseparatetheeffectsofnaturalprocessesandhumanbehavioronsiteformation.
c.​candeterminethemostefficientmethodoftoolmanufacture,whichwasmostlikelythemethodemployedin
theprehistoricpast.
d.​remindsethnoarchaeologistsoftheirresponsibilitytothelivingpeoplethattheystudy.
13.Exploringthepossiblewaystomakeaprojectilepointisanexampleof_________,whileobservingthewaya
livinggroupofpeoplemakeprojectilepointsisanexampleof_________.​
a.​experimentalarchaeology/ethnoarchaeology
b.​middlerangeresearch/generaltheory
c.​ethnoarchaeology/experimentalarchaeology
d.​generaltheory/middlerangeresearch
14.WhichofthefollowingistrueoftheHudson-MengsiteinnorthwestNebraska?​
a.​Taphonomicresearchsuggeststhathumansplayedlittle,ifany,roleinthedeathsofthe500bisonatthesite.
b.​Thepresenceofhundredsofprojectilepointsamongthebisonbonestronglysuggeststhebisonwere
dispatchedbyhumanhunters.
c.​Thepresenceofunequivocalcutmarksonmanyofthebisonboneprovidesstrongevidenceofbutcheryby
humans.
d.​Thefactthatmostofthebisonboneswerehighlydisarticulatedandscatteredprovidesevidenceof
butcheringbyhumans.
15.TaphonomicresearchattheHudson-MengbisonbonebedinnorthwestNebraskashowedthat:​
a.​theancestorsofmodernPlainsIndianspurposelybrokeopenbisonskullstoremovethebrainsforusein
tanninghides.
b.​naturalprocessessuchasincompleteburialandsubsequentexposuretosunlightcouldhavecausedthetops
ofthebisonskullstodecompose.
c.​thebonebedwasaresultoftheancestorsofmodernPlainsIndiansrunningaherdof500bisonoffofalow
cliffandsubsequentlydraggingthemtoaprocessingarea.
d.​thebonebedwasaresultofbothnaturalboneaccumulationandhumanhuntingpractices.
16.WhathappenedtotheremainsofIshi,theYahiIndianwholivedattheUniversityofCalifornia’smuseuminSan
Franciscoanddemonstratedtraditionalarrow-makingandfire-startingformuseumvisitors?​
a.​Hisbodywasautopsiedbytheuniversity’smedicalcenterafterhisdeathinspiteofhiswishesthatno
autopsybeperformed.
b.​HisbrainwassenttotheSmithsonianInstitutionsothatitcouldbeput“toscientificuse,”whereitsatfor
nearly85years.
c.​HisremainswerereturnedtoCalifornia’sPitRivertribein2000,andburiedinasecretlocation.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
17.Thepurposeofheat-treatingstonetoolrawmaterialwasto:​
a.​createstonetoolsbysubjectingtherawmaterialtoheat,whichwouldcausethematerialtofractureinto
usablepieces.
b.​makeitmoredifficultfortherawmaterialtobeflakedandshaped.
c.​improvetheflintknappingpropertiesoftherawmaterial.
d.​havehotstonesthatcouldbeusedforcooking(e.g.,droppedintoceramicvessels).
18.Athin,sharpsliverofstoneremovedfromalargerpieceofrockduringtheflintknappingprocessisa:​
a.​projectilepoint.
b.​core.
c.​flake.
d.​biface.
19.Whendiscussingprojectilepoints,a“flute”refersto:​
a.​adistinctivecharacteristicofClovisandFolsomprojectilepoints.
b.​awide,shallow,longitudinalgrooveonthefaceofaprojectilepoint.
c.​thefeaturethatiscreatedbytheremovalofachannelflake.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
20.DonCrabtree’sexperimentalflintknappingresearch:​
a.​failedtodiscoveranysuccessfulwaysinwhichFolsomprojectilepointscouldbeflutedinspiteofdecades
ofresearch;flintknapperstodaystilldon’tunderstandhowtoproduceaflute.
b.​discoveredsuccessfulwaysinwhichFolsomprojectilepointscouldbefluted,andstimulatedadditional
researchresultinginthediscoveryofmoresuccessfulflutingmethods.
c.​discoveredthepurposeofthefluteinFolsomprojectilepoints;flutingwaspartofapre-huntingritual
designedtoensurehuntingsuccess.
d.​showedthattheflutingofFolsomprojectilepointswasactuallyasimpleprocessthatanyminimallyskilled
flintknapper(bytoday’sstandards)couldaccomplishwithrelativeease.
21.TryingtomovestonesweighingseveraltonsusingonlythetoolsandmaterialsthattheancientEgyptianshad
availabletothem,withthegoalofdeterminingwhetherornotEgyptiantechnologywassufficientlysophisticatedto
producemonumentslikethepyramids,isanexampleof:​
a.​experimentalarchaeology.
b.​ethnoarchaeology.
c.​analogy.
d.​uniformitarianism.
22.Experimentalarchaeologyhasbeenusedtodeterminehowstonetoolswereusedinthepast.Thisresearchhas
shownthat:​
a.​differentkindsofuseproducedifferentkindsofmicroflakesondifferentpartsofthetools.
b.​stonetooledgedamagevariedwiththetypeofmaterialbeingworked(softmaterialsversushardmaterials).
c.​differentkindsofuseresultindifferentkindsofstonetoolpolish.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
23.NewcomerdesignedblindexperimentstotesttheaccuracyofKeeley’shigh-powermicroscopymethodof
identifyingstonetoolmicrowear.Theseexperiments:​
a.​establishedthevalidityofKeeley’shigh-powermicroscopicmethod;Keeleywasabletocorrectlyidentify
themicrowearonmanyoftheexperimentalstonetools.
b.​determinedthatwhilehigh-powermicroscopicidentificationscouldalwaysbecorrectlymadeonthetypeof
materialworked,identifyingtheareaofthetoolactuallyusedwasmuchmoredifficult.
c.​showedthatwhilehigh-powermicroscopicanalysiscanbeuseful,itisnotaseffectiveaslow-poweranalysis
indeterminingmicrowear.
d.​showedthathigh-powermicroscopicanalysisisuselessindeterminingmicrowear.
24.​Ifyouareobservingmicrowear,orminute,oftenmicroscopicevidenceofusedamageonthesurfaceandworking
edgeofanartifact,youareprobablyobserving:
a.​striations.
b.​microflaking.
c.​polish.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
25.Microweartracesonstonetoolscanbedifficulttoidentifyduetowhichofthefollowing?​
a.​Prehistoricresharpeningofstonetools
b.​Multipleusesofstonetoolsprehistorically
c.​Brieftoolusethatdidnotpermitformationofdistinctiveweartraces
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
26.Binford’sethnoarchaeologicalworkwiththeNunamiutEskimoofAlaskademonstrated:​
a.​thatitwassafeforarchaeologiststoassumethatadifferenceinartifactsreflectsadifferenceinculture.
b.​thatdifferentartifactassemblagescouldresultfromdifferentactivitiesconductedbythesameculture.
c.​thelikelihoodthatdifferentMousteriantoolassemblageswerearesultofdifferentNeandertaltribes.
d.​thatthesamepeopleleavethesamekindsoftoolsatdifferentlocationsacrossthelandscape.
27.ThepurposeofBinford’sethnoarchaeologicalresearchamongtheNunamiutEskimoofAlaskawasto:​
a.​documentNunamiutsubsistencestrategiesinordertodeterminewhatprehistoricadaptationsinotherarctic
environmentsmayhaveentailed.
b.​determinehowthekinshipsystemoftheNunamiutdifferedfromthekinshipsystemsofculturesinnon-
marginalenvironments.
c.​observelivingpeopleandseewhatremainstheiractivitiesleftbehindinanattempttostrengtheninferences
fromarchaeologicaldata.
d.​determinetheeffectofseasonalityonNunamiuthuntingpractices.
28.KellyconductedethnoarchaeologicalresearchamongtheMikeaofMadagascartoanswerwhichofthefollowing
questions?​
a.​Aredifferentlengthsofstayindifferenttypesofsettlementsreflectedinthematerialremainsleftbehindat
Mikeasites?
b.​Whatarethelong-termeffectsofMikeaslash-and-burnhorticultureonsoilnutrients?
c.​AredifferentsubsistencepracticesreflectedinthematerialremainsleftbehindatMikeasites?
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
29.Ifyouareconductingarchaeologicalexcavationinanareawherehousesweremadeinawaysimilartothat
inhabitedbyMadagascar’sMikea,andyoufindahousestructurethathasveryconsistentpostdiameters(as
determinedbythepostholesleftbehind,nowfilledwithdecayedwood),whatcouldyouinferaboutthehouse
basedonethnoarchaeologicalresearch?​
a.​Woodresourcesweresparse.
b.​Itwasusedasatemporaryforagingstructure.
c.​Itwaslikelyapermanenthouse.
d.​Itwasaseasonalhabitation.
30.EthnoarchaeologicalresearchamongtheMikeasuggeststhatthemorepermanentasettlementisthe:​
a.​greaterrangeoffeaturesitwillcontain.
b.​closertrashdumpswillbetohabitationsstructures.
c.​morevariablepostholediameterswillbe.
d.​Alloftheanswersarecorrect.
31.Unlikedetectives,archaeologists​
a.​wanttoknowwhathappenedinthepast.
b.​makeinferencesaboutthepastbasedonmaterialremains.
c.​workonsitesthatarequicklydiscoveredandimmediatelyprotected.
d.​commonlyrecoverobjectswithunknownfunctionsandmeanings.
32.Theprincipleassertingthattheprocessesnowoperatingtomodifytheearth’ssurfacearethesameprocessesthat
operatedlongagointhegeologicalpastisknownas​
a.​analogy.
b.​principleofuniformitarianism.
c.​evolution.
d.​stratigraphy.
33.Faunalremainsinarchaeologicalsitesarecomposedof​
a.​plantremains.
b.​animalbones.
c.​potteryartifacts.
d.​soilsamples.
34.The“schlepeffect”causedPerkinsandDalytoexplainthatthrowingawaytheboneswaswhyupperlimbbones
werenotfoundattheNeolithicvillage,Suberde.R.E.Chaplininterpretedtheshortageofupperlimbbonesona
late-ninthcenturySaxonfarmastheresultofbutcheringanddressingthecarcassesformarket.Upperlimbbones
missingatAmericanPlainsIndiansiteswerearguedbyT.Whitetohavebeenpulverizedandboiledtorenderthe
greasetomakepemmican.Theseexamplesexemplifythefollowing:​
a.​thedifficultyofarchaeologiststoagreeoninterpretations.
b.​thelackofvalidityinarchaeologicalinterpretationsmadefromanimalbone.
c.​severalcompetinghypothesesaccountforthesamebodyoffacts.
d.​youcannothypothesizefromanabsenceofdata.
35.Tocreaterelevantbridgingarguments,archaeologistsmust​
a.​contactseveralotherarchaeologistsfortheirinterpretations.
b.​observetheworkingsofacultureinitssystemiccontext.
c.​researchtheliterature.
d.​consultwithageologist.
36.Analogiesjustifiedonthebasisofcloseculturalcontinuitybetweenthearchaeologicalandethnographiccasesor
similarityingeneralculturalformareknownas​
a.​formalanalogies.
b.​bridgingarguments.
c.​incorrectscience.
d.​relationalanalogies.
37.Thewordtaphonomyrefersto​
a.​thefossilrecord.
b.​faunalremainsinthearchaeologicalrecord.
c.​howorganismsbecomepartofthefossilrecord.
d.​fossilorganisms.
38.WhichofthefollowingisthefinalstagethatHillandBehrensmeyerfoundtobetheprocessofhowlargeanimal
skeletonsfallapart?​
a.​Adecomposinganimalcarcasswillcollapseintoaflatpileofbones.
b.​Thescapuladetachesfromthevertebralcolumn,allowingtheentirefrontlimbtodropaway.
c.​Thevertebraedisarticulate.
d.​Thesuncausestheexposedskulltoflakeaway.
39.Ifstoneischertorquartzite,youmightimprovetherawmaterialsforstonetoolmakingby​
a.​buryingtheflakesorcores.
b.​burningafireontopofthestones.
c.​soakingthestonesinwater.
d.​buryingtheflakesorcoresandburningafireontopofthestones.
40.Flutes,orwide,shallow,longitudinalgroovesoneachfaceofapoint,aremadeby​
a.chippingawaytheunwantedmaterials.
b.​removingchannelflakesonbothsidesofthepoint’sbase.
c.​burningtheoriginalcore.
d.​carvingthegrooveswithasharpinstrument.
41.Onewaytomakerelevantbridgingargumentsistoobservetheworkingsofacultureinitssystemiccontext.
a.True
b.False
42.Inarchaeology,plantremainsfromarchaeologicalsitesareknownasfaunalremains.​
a.True
b.False
43.Ethnographicanalysismakesitclearthatitissafetoassumethatwomeninthepastalwaysmadethepottery,and
menalwaysmadethestonetools.​
a.True
b.False
44.Archaeologistshavetriedtoreplicate,throughtrialanderrorwithflintknapping,thewayinwhichFolsompoints
werefluted.Thisresearchisanexampleofexperimentalarchaeology.​
a.True
b.False
45.Thepurposeofmiddlerangetheoryistocreateargumentsthatlinkhumanbehaviortomaterialremainssothat
archaeologistscanmakereliablebehavioralinferencesfromarchaeologicalmaterial.​
a.True
b.False
46.Analogiesmustbeusedcautiouslybecausethereisnoguaranteethattheanalogywillaccuratelydescribethe
prehistoricculture.​
a.True
b.False
47.Thegoaloftaphonomicstudiesistoinferthefunctionofprehistoricobjectsandfeaturesbasedonthesimilarityof
thoseobjectsandfeaturestothoseusedbyrelatedculturestoday.​
a.True
b.False
48.Experimentalarchaeologyisnecessarywhenarchaeologistswanttoknowthematerialeffectsofbehaviorsthatno
longerexist.​
a.True
b.False
49.Obsidianbladesaremuchsharperthansteelscalpels,leavingsmallercutswithcleareredgesthathealmorequickly
andarelesslikelytoscarthansteelblades;becauseofthis,obsidianbladeshavebeenusedinmanysurgical
procedures.​
a.True
b.False
50.Lowpower(40Xto60X)microscopicanalysisismuchmoreusefulindeterminingstonetoolmicrowearthanhigh
powermicroscopy(upto400X).​
a.True
b.False
51.Ethnoarchaeologicalresearchsuggeststhatthelongerasitewasoccupiedinthepast,thefartherthedistance
betweenhabitationstructuresandtrashdumps.​
a.True
b.False
52.Explaintheprincipleofuniformitarianism.Howdoesitapplytoarchaeology?​
53.Definebridgingarguments.Howdoarchaeologistscreatebridgingarguments?​
54.Whatarearchaeologicalanalogies?Whatisthedifferencebetweenaformalandrelationalanalogy?Givean
exampleofeach.​
55.Howareanalogiesusefultoarchaeology?Whatmakesananalogystrong?Whymustanalogiesbeused
cautiously?​
56.Whatistaphonomy?Whyaretaphonomicstudiesusefultoarchaeology?Giveanexampleofanarchaeological
taphonomicstudy.​
57.HowdoestheHudson-Mengsiteillustratetheimportanceoftaphonomy?Usingtaphonomicstudies,what
conclusiondidresearcherscometoabouthowthebisonbonebedatthesiteformed?​
58.Howdoesmiddlerangetheorydifferfromanalogy?Inwhatsituationsareeachuseful?Inwhatsituationsareeach
limited?Why?​
59.Whatisexperimentalarchaeology?Howisitusefultoarchaeology?Inwhatconditionsmustarchaeologists
employexperimentalresearch?Giveanexampleofanexperimentalstudy.​
60.Howdoarchaeologistsdeterminehowstonetoolswereusedinthepast?Whatismicrowear?Howismicrowear
identified?Whyismicrowearidentificationusefulforarchaeologists?​
61.Whatisethnoarchaeology?Howisethnoarchaeologicalresearchconducted?Whatisthegoalof
ethnoarchaeologicalresearch?Giveanexample.​
62.Whyistheprincipleofuniformitarianismdifficulttoimplementinethnoarchaeology?​