Question 1

A marker bed can be useful to archaeologists because:

Accepted Answer

Marker beds that have been dated in other sites can help archaeologists determine the age of sediments in a new site, providing a useful tool for dating and understanding archaeological contexts.

Question 2

The upper part of a soil where active organic and mechanical decomposition of geological and organic material occurs is the:

Accepted Answer

The A horizon, often referred to as the topsoil, is where most organic and mechanical decomposition of material takes place, making it rich in nutrients and organic matter.

Question 3

A B horizon is:

Accepted Answer

The B horizon, also known as the subsoil, is characterized by the accumulation of clays, minerals, and nutrients that have been leached (moved down) from the A horizon (topsoil) above it. This process is known as illuviation.

Question 4

Reverse stratigraphy would result from which of the following situations?

Accepted Answer

Reverse stratigraphy occurs when older layers are brought to the surface above newer layers, as described in option B.

Question 5

What could account for chronologically older artifacts being found above younger artifacts in a stratigraphic sequence?

Accepted Answer

All of the listed processes can disrupt the normal stratigraphic sequence. Faunalturbation involves animals disturbing the soil, cultural disturbance refers to human activities altering layers, and graviturbation involves movement of soil and artifacts due to gravity, such as in a slope.

Question 6

The Mazama ash has been dated at numerous locations in the western US to 6900 years old. This means that if an archaeologist finds the Mazama ash in a stratified context, he or she knows that everything above it is less than 6900 years old, and everything below it is more than 6900 years old. The Mazama ash is an example of a:

Accepted Answer

The Mazama ash serves as a marker bed because it provides a specific time reference (6900 years old) that can be used to date other layers in a stratified context. Marker beds are identifiable layers of rock or sediment that have been spread over a wide geographical area by a specific event and can be used to date the layers of sediment/rock above and below them.

Question 7

A marker bed is:

Accepted Answer

A marker bed is an easily identified stratum that is found in multiple sites in the same region, allowing for correlation between those sites.

Question 8

Most of the strata in Gatecliff rockshelter consist of:

Accepted Answer

Most of the strata in Gatecliff rockshelter consist of naturally deposited alluvial and eolian sediments, which are brought in by water (alluvial) and wind (eolian) rather than being primarily the result of human activity, roof collapse, or volcanic ash deposits.

Question 9

In an undisturbed deposit, a stone tool found in a stratum overlying a stratum containing potsherds is most likely:

Accepted Answer

In the principle of superposition, in an undisturbed sequence of strata, the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest layer is at the top. Therefore, if a stone tool is found in a stratum overlying a stratum containing potsherds, the stone tool is younger than the potsherds.

Question 10

The Law of Superposition states that, in any pile of sedimentary rocks that have not been disturbed by folding or overturning:

Accepted Answer

The Law of Superposition indicates that in undisturbed sedimentary layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom, with each layer above being progressively younger. This principle is fundamental in geology and archaeology for understanding the relative ages of layers and the artifacts found within them.

Question 11

Nicolaus Steno argued in his Preliminary Discourse to a Dissertation on a Solid Body Naturally Contained within a Solid (1669) that fossils came to be laid down inside solid rock because the fossils:

Accepted Answer

Nicolaus Steno proposed that fossils were older than the rocks in which they were found because the rocks had originally been laid down as sediments in a liquid state that later solidified, embedding the fossils within them. This was a significant departure from other theories of the time and laid foundational principles for stratigraphy and geology.

Question 12

Where are the Laetoli footprints today?

Accepted Answer

The Laetoli footprints were covered with sediment and left in place to preserve them in the ground where they were discovered. This method was chosen to protect the footprints from environmental and human-induced damage.

Question 13

Archaeological "site formation" refers to:

Accepted Answer

Archaeological "site formation" encompasses both human and natural actions that contribute to the creation and alteration of an archaeological site. This includes activities by past humans that leave behind artifacts and structures, as well as natural processes like erosion, sedimentation, and biological activity that can bury, expose, or alter these remains.

Question 14

Mary Leakey's discovery of fossil footprints in volcanic ash at Laetoli was important because:

Accepted Answer

The discovery of fossil footprints at Laetoli was significant because it provided clear evidence of bipedalism in hominids dating back to 3.6 million years ago. The footprints, preserved in volcanic ash, showed that these early humans walked upright on two legs, a key characteristic distinguishing hominids from other primates.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of a systemic context?

Accepted Answer

A systemic context refers to the use and function of an object within a living cultural system, such as the manufacturing, decorating, and using of a ceramic vessel.

Question 16

The age of the Laetoli footprints was determined by:

Accepted Answer

The age of the Laetoli footprints, which are associated with early hominins, was determined using both potassium-argon dating and the law of superposition. Potassium-argon dating was used to date the volcanic layers above and below the footprint-bearing stratum, while the law of superposition helped to confirm the relative age of the footprints based on their position within the sedimentary layers.

Question 17

Soil development occurs:

Accepted Answer

Soil development primarily occurs through the slow accumulation of sediments that undergo in situ (in place) chemical and mechanical weathering. This process allows for the gradual formation of soil horizons and the development of soil profiles, incorporating organic matter and facilitating the growth of microbial and plant life.

Question 18

An archaeological context differs from a systemic context in that:

Accepted Answer

An artifact in an archaeological context is considered to be no longer part of the dynamic behavioral system that created it, meaning it is not actively used or engaged with by the society that made it. This contrasts with a systemic context, where artifacts are still in use or actively part of the cultural system.

Question 19

How does sediment generally enter rockshelters?

Accepted Answer

Sediment enters rockshelters through various processes: rocks falling from the ceiling and dripline, colluvial sediments washing in from the surrounding hillside, and the accumulation of fine eolian dust blown in from nearby or distant sources.

Question 20

The footprints at Laetoli were remarkably well-preserved because:

Accepted Answer

The footprints at Laetoli were remarkably well-preserved because they were made in an ash slurry that quickly hardened and were then buried by volcanic ash soon after they formed, protecting them from erosion and other forms of weathering.

Quiz 5: Geoarchaeology and Site Formation Processes