Question 1

Sto+B269:B293ne axes or iron hoe blades may give an indication of hunting or agriculture, but they hardly yield the kind of detail that archaeologists need in order to determine a prehistoric people's

Accepted Answer

The use of stone axes or iron hoe blades can give an indication of hunting or agriculture, but they do not provide enough detail to determine a prehistoric people's lifeways, hunting practices or tool-making techniques. However, these tools can provide insights into their subsistence strategies.

Question 2

The ultimate aim in studying prehistoric food remains is not only to establish how people obtained their food but also to reconstruct their actual

Accepted Answer

The ultimate aim in studying prehistoric food remains is not only to establish how people obtained their food but also to reconstruct their actual diet.

Question 3

Stable isotope samples from human skeletons at two sites near the Danube River show that between 60% and 85% of those ancient people's diet came from

Accepted Answer

The stable isotope samples show that between 60% and 85% of the ancient people's diet came from aquatic sources, indicating that they relied heavily on fish and other water-related resources.

Question 4

Most animal bones found in archaeological sites are

Accepted Answer

Animal bones found in archaeological sites are often highly fragmentary due to natural processes such as weathering and scavenging, as well as human activities such as butchery and cooking. This can make identification of species and other characteristics challenging.

Question 5

Observing recently dead carcasses as they are gradually transformed into fossils and studying fossil remains with the knowledge gained from these observations are two related forms of research involved in what discipline?

Accepted Answer

The process of observing recently dead carcasses as they are gradually transformed into fossils is called taphonomy, while studying fossil remains with the knowledge gained from these observations is also a part of taphonomy. Therefore, the correct choice is C, taphonomy. A is not correct because zooarchaeology specifically focuses on the study of animal remains from archaeological sites. B is not correct because palynology is the study of pollen and spores, not fossils. D is not correct because phytolith studies are the study of microscopic plant remains, not fossils.

Question 6

The skeletons of modern-day domestic sheep and goats and the skeletons of their wild ancestors are

Accepted Answer

The skeletons of modern-day domestic sheep and goats are almost identical to the skeletons of their wild ancestors, meaning that they have not undergone significant changes through domestication. While there may be minor differences in bone size and shape due to selective breeding, the overall structure remains very similar.

Question 7

A count of the number of individuals necessary to account for all of the identifiable bones is called

Accepted Answer

The Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) is the count of the fewest number of individuals necessary to account for all of the identifiable bones. Choice A (NISP) and D (TBC) are not correct as NISP refers to the count of identified specimens (not individuals) and TBC is not a commonly used term in osteology. Choice B (Bones per Individual) is not correct as it refers to the average number of bones in an individual, rather than the number of individuals necessary to account for all the identifiable bones.

Question 8

This, rather than human culture, was probably responsible for most long-term shifts in abundance of animal species during the Great Ice Age:

Accepted Answer

The Great Ice Age was characterized by dramatic shifts in climate, with global temperature fluctuations of up to 10 degrees Celsius over the course of thousands of years. These climate changes were driven by a variety of factors, including changes in ocean currents, volcanic activity, and solar radiation. As a result of these shifts in climate, many animal species underwent significant changes in abundance, with some becoming extinct and others thriving in new environments. While human culture may have played a role in hunting certain species to extinction, it is unlikely that it was responsible for most long-term shifts in abundance during this time period. Therefore, the best answer is D, climatic change.

Question 9

This may have begun when a growing human population needed a regular food supply to support a greater density of people per square mile.

Accepted Answer

Animal domestication is the process of taming and keeping animals for food, clothing, and other purposes. With a growing population, hunting activities alone may not have been enough to sustain the food supply. Improved hunting technology and forestry technology may have helped, but animal domestication provided a more reliable and consistent source of food for human populations.

Question 10

How did ancient peoples use animal stomachs?

Accepted Answer

Ancient peoples used animal stomachs as bags, primarily for storing and transporting food, water, and other goods. They would clean the stomachs thoroughly, stretch and dry them, and then use them as containers. Some examples of this practice can still be found in certain indigenous cultures today.

Question 11

To establish the ages of prehistoric animals, scientists most commonly look at the animals' teeth and at the parts at the end of limb bones, which are called

Accepted Answer

Scientists commonly look at the epiphyses, which are the parts at the end of limb bones, to establish the ages of prehistoric animals.

Question 12

Richard Klein has used the height of tooth crowns to study the age of mammals taken by Stone Age hunters at the Klasies River and Nelson's Bay caves in South Africa. He has identified two "mortality distributions" that apply to prehistoric and living animal populations. Which of the following would be a normal distribution?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Richard Klein has used the height of...

Question 13

When prime-age animals are underrepresented relative to their abundance in living populations, but young and old are overrepresented, the age profile is called

Accepted Answer

If the prime-age animals are underrepresented and young and old are overrepresented, it suggests that the population has been affected by attritional mortality, meaning natural causes of death such as disease or predation have taken a toll on the prime-age animals.

Question 14

In many societies, game meat formed far fewer meals than this type of food, which is often completely invisible in archaeological sites:

Accepted Answer

Vegetable remains are less likely to be preserved in archaeological contexts compared to animal bones, making them less visible in the archaeological record despite their importance in ancient diets.

Question 15

What is the original wild ancestor of Tehuacán maize?

Accepted Answer

The original wild ancestor of Tehuacán maize is teosinte, a wild Mexican grass that has been selectively bred over thousands of years to produce the maize plants we know today. Rice and wild asparagus are not related to maize and have different wild ancestors. While there is still ongoing research to understand the genetic history of maize, teosinte is widely accepted as the closest wild ancestor.

Question 16

Macrobotanical remains are

Accepted Answer

Macrobotanical remains are plant remains that are easily recognizable without the need for magnification or specialized equipment. This can include seeds, fruits, nuts, leaves, and stems.

Question 17

Scientists who recover, identify, and study ancient vegetable remains and assess the relationships between people and plants are called

Accepted Answer

The scientists who recover, identify, and study ancient vegetable remains and assess the relationships between people and plants are known as paleoethnobotanists.

Question 18

Minute particles of silica from plant cells absorbed through a plant's roots are called

Accepted Answer

Minute particles of silica from plant cells absorbed through a plant's roots are called phytoliths. There are different types of phytoliths, but opal and chalcedony are the two main categories. Opal phytoliths are amorphous, while chalcedony phytoliths have a crystalline structure.

Question 19

The dessicated human feces that are sometimes recovered from dry caves in the American West and elsewhere are called

Accepted Answer

Coprolites are fossilized feces and are often found in dry caves where the conditions are favorable for preservation. They can provide valuable insights into the diets and behaviors of ancient organisms. The other choices, anthracites, bituminous droppings, and intestinal remains, are not accurate descriptions of fossilized feces.

Question 20

Early in the twentieth century, the paleornithologist Hildegarde Howard studied the remains of prehistoric waterbirds near San Francisco Bay and found that the Indians of the time

Accepted Answer

Hildegarde Howard's study of prehistoric waterbirds near San Francisco Bay would have allowed her to deduce patterns of human habitation based on the seasonal availability of these birds, indicating that the Indians lived at that site in the winter and the early summer. Her research focused on avian remains, not on practices like domestication, falconry, or trade in bird plumes.

Quiz 11: Come Tell Me How You Lived