Question 1

Which is the creation or evolution of a new idea.?

Accepted Answer

Invention refers to the process of creating or developing a new idea, product, or process. It involves the identification of a problem or need and the creation of a solution or innovative idea to address it. This is distinct from diffusion, which refers to the spread or adoption of an existing idea or innovation, and reinvention, which involves the modification or adaptation of an existing idea or innovation.

Question 2

The spread of ideas, over short or long distances, is termed

Accepted Answer

The term that best fits the definition of the spread of ideas is diffusion. Diffusion refers to the spread of something (in this case, ideas) from one place to another, whether over a short or long distance. Invention refers to the creation of new ideas or things, while creation generally refers to the act of making something. Reinvention implies a change in something that already exists, but not necessarily the spread of ideas.

Question 3

Reciprocity implies a relationship in which

Accepted Answer

Reciprocity implies a mutual benefit or exchange between two parties. Both parties in the relationship should benefit from the exchange.

Question 4

What involves not only the movement of ideas but also a mass shift of people that results in social and cultural changes on a large scale?

Accepted Answer

Migration involves the movement of people, which can result in the spread of ideas and culture to new regions, leading to social and cultural changes on a large scale. Invention refers to the creation of new ideas or technologies, while diffusion refers to the spread of existing ideas or technologies. Reinvention involves taking something that already exists and changing it in a significant way.

Question 5

What is needed in large quantities to identify invention, diffusion, or migration in the archaeological record?

Accepted Answer

In order to identify invention, diffusion, or migration in the archaeological record, large quantities of data are needed. This includes information on the distribution and characteristics of artifacts, demographics of populations, and changes in material culture over time. Excavations and artifacts are important sources of data, but without analysis and interpretation, they do not provide enough information to identify patterns of invention, diffusion, or migration. Archaeologists are necessary for carrying out excavations and analyzing data, but they also need large quantities of data to work with.

Question 6

MtDNA is passed from mothers to offspring and is inherited through which line?

Accepted Answer

MtDNA is passed down from mothers to offspring through the maternal line, meaning it is inherited exclusively from the mother.

Question 7

Analysis of the mitochondrial DNA of ancient human skeletons from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the Pacific has also shown that the ultimate origins of the Easter Islanders are in Polynesia, for this remote landmass had been colonized from which islands by A.D. 1200?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Analysis of the mitochondrial DNA of ancient...

Question 8

Many archaeologists support an ecological/evolutionary approach to explaining the past. This approach, sometimes called _____________, is based on deductive research methodology that employs research design, formulation of explicit research hypotheses, and testing of these against basic data.

Accepted Answer

The ecological/evolutionary approach referred to in the question is synonymous with processual archaeology. This approach involves deductive research methodology, which includes developing explicit research hypotheses and testing them against basic data. Choice A (deductive archaeology) is not specific to the ecological/evolutionary approach in archaeology, while choices C (non-process oriented anthropology) and D (creative archaeology) are not commonly used terms in the field.

Question 9

Which is a means of studying human culture that gives a picture of the way in which human populations adapt to, and transform, their environments?

Accepted Answer

Cultural ecology is a means of studying human culture that focuses on the relationship between humans and their environments. It looks at how human populations adapt to and modify their environments, and how those environments in turn shape culture.

Question 10

Which is a branching, cumulative process that results from cultural adaptations over long periods?

Accepted Answer

Multilinear cultural evolution suggests that societies evolve in various ways depending on their environmental and cultural contexts, rather than following a single, predetermined path. This concept acknowledges the diversity of human cultures and their complex, branching development over time.

Question 11

In the 1960s and 1970s, archaeologists were talking about which sort of archaeology that promised to overcome the many limitations of the archaeological record?

Accepted Answer

In the 1960s and 1970s, archaeologists were discussing "New Archaeology," which aimed to apply scientific methods and theories to overcome the limitations of the archaeological record, emphasizing a more systematic and analytical approach.

Question 12

In archaeology, which of the following is the notion that the past was inhabited by people rather than by anonymous "cultures"?

Accepted Answer

The concept is called agency. It refers to the idea that the past was shaped by individual people and their choices, rather than by amorphous cultural forces. This approach emphasizes the importance of human action in shaping history, and highlights the role of power relationships, social structures, and individual agency in shaping the past. It is a key concept in contemporary archaeological thought.

Question 13

In interacting with their culture, the major difference in approach between archaeologists using an ecological/evolutionary approach to the past and archaeologists who are concerned with symbolic meaning, structure, and the rules that once governed society argues that people act like

Accepted Answer

Archaeologists using an ecological/evolutionary approach to the past focus on human behavior as adaptive responses to environmental conditions, much like animals in nature. In contrast, archaeologists concerned with symbolic meaning, structure, and rules that govern society focus on the cultural and social aspects of human behavior, treating people more like actors who perform roles based on cultural norms and expectations.

Question 14

The major contributions that the historical materialist (postprocessual) approaches have made to archaeological science include all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Historical materialism, often associated with postprocessual archaeology, emphasizes the importance of societal structures, ideologies, and human agency over the notion of societies as integrated, holistic systems. This perspective is more aligned with processual archaeology, which views societies through a systems theory lens, focusing on the interrelations and functioning of societal components as a whole.

Question 15

What sort of archaeology covers the whole spectrum of human behavior, especially religion and belief, and also the development and expression of human consciousness?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive archaeology is an approach that emphasizes the study of human thought processes and the ways in which they are expressed in material culture. It covers the whole spectrum of human behavior, including religion and belief, and the development and expression of human consciousness. Processual archaeology emphasizes the use of scientific methods and data analysis to understand cultural processes and change, while postprocessual archaeology emphasizes the need for interpretation and the role of subjectivity in the construction of archaeological knowledge. Heuristic archaeology emphasizes the exploration of new and innovative approaches to archaeological research.

Question 16

The archaeology of today is built on

Accepted Answer

Solid scientific foundations are crucial to the discipline of archaeology today. This includes the use of scientific methods, such as geophysical surveying and chemical analysis, to gather and interpret data.

Question 17

To be effective, cognitive archaeology depends on rigorous research methods; for that reason, it can be used only when the body of supporting data is rich. Flannery and Marcus state that the approach becomes "little more than speculation, a kind of bungee jump into the Land of

Accepted Answer

The answer of To be effective, cognitive archaeology depends on...

Question 18

As archaeology becomes more multidisciplinary; it will likely leave behind tools and approaches such as

Accepted Answer

As archaeology becomes more multidisciplinary, it is likely to move away from fitting discoveries into a rigid framework. This approach has been criticized for being too limited and not taking into account the complex relationships between different aspects of human societies. Instead, archaeologists will likely adopt a more flexible and nuanced approach that takes into account a wide range of factors, including social, economic, political, and environmental variables. This will require new tools and approaches that will allow archaeologists to better understand the complex dynamics of past societies.

Question 19

Which constraints include knowledge, beliefs, values, and other culturally conditioned habits; all of these are different in each culture.?

Accepted Answer

Constraints that include knowledge, beliefs, values, and other culturally conditioned habits are internal constraints because they exist within an individual's mentality and perception.

Question 20

The archaeologist Bruce Trigger noted that the best way to develop a general theoretical framework will be on the basis of

Accepted Answer

Trigger believed that a general theoretical framework could only be developed through long-term, intensive research into ancient peoples, cultures, and regions.

Quiz 4: Explaining the Past