List of archaeological periods

In archaeology, the Iron Age is the stage in the development of any people where the use of iron implements as tools and weapons is prominent. The adoption of this new material coincided with other changes in past societies often including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles. The Iron Age is the last principal period in the three-age system for classifying pre-historic societies and its meaning varies depending on the country or geographical region. This variation even occurs within Europe wh ...

Including:

• Iron Age - The Iron Age
• Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa and India
• Iron Age - The Iron Age in Asia
• Iron Age - Near East
• Iron Age - East Asia
• Iron Age - The European Iron Age
• Iron Age - Eastern Europe
• Iron Age - Central Europe
• Iron Age - Mediterranean Europe
• Iron Age - British Isles
• Iron Age - Northern Scandinavia and Finland
• Iron Age - Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia

Read more here: » Iron Age: Encyclopedia - Iron Age

Archaeology, archeology or archæology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech/discourse) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. The goals of archaeology are to document and explain the origins and development of human culture, understand culture history, chronicle cultural evolution, and study human behavi ...

Including:

• Archaeology - Usage note
• Archaeology - Ontology and definition
• Archaeology - Importance and applicability
• Archaeology - Goals
• Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines
• Archaeology - Cultural resources management
• Archaeology - Field methods
• Archaeology - Survey
• Archaeology - Excavation
• Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis
• Archaeology - History of archaeology
• Archaeology - Archaeological theory
• Archaeology - Public archaeology
• Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology
• Archaeology - Looting
• Archaeology - Public outreach
• Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia - Archaeology

Early archaeology was largely an attempt to uncover spectacular artifacts and features, or to explore vast and mysterious abandoned cities. Such pursuits continue to fascinate the public, portrayed in books (such as King Solomon's Mines) and films (such as The Mummy and Raiders of the Lost Ark). Much thorough and productive research has indeed been conducted in dramatic locales such as Copán and the Valley of the Kings, but the stuff of modern archaeology is not so reliably sensational. In addition, archaeologica ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage note, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Public archaeology

Archaeological sites in India like Malhar, Dadupur, Raja Nala Ka Tila and Lahuradewa in state of Uttar Pradesh show iron implements in period 1800 BC - 1200 BC. The earliest known production of steel occurred around 1400 BC in North Africa where steel was being produced in carbon furnaces. The Egyptian ruler Tutankhamun died in 1323 BC and was buried with an iron dagger with a golden hilt. Also an Egyptian sword bearing the name of pharaoh Merneptah and a battle axe with an iron blade and gold-decorated bronze haft were both found in the exc ...

See also:

Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa and India, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Asia, Iron Age - Near East, Iron Age - East Asia, Iron Age - The European Iron Age, Iron Age - Eastern Europe, Iron Age - Central Europe, Iron Age - Mediterranean Europe, Iron Age - British Isles, Iron Age - Northern Scandinavia and Finland, Iron Age - Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia

Read more here: » Iron Age: Encyclopedia II - Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa and India

Early archaeology was largely an attempt to uncover spectacular artifacts and features, or to explore vast and mysterious abandoned cities. Such pursuits continue to fascinate the public, portrayed in books (such as King Solomon's Mines) and films (such as The Mummy and Raiders of the Lost Ark). Much thorough and productive research has indeed been conducted in dramatic locales such as Copán and the Valley of the Kings, but the stuff of modern archaeology is not so reliably sensational. In addition, archaeologica ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Public archaeology

Iron Age - Indian Subcontinent. Recent excavations in Middle Ganga Valley in India done by archaelogist Rakesh Tewari show iron working in India since 1800 BC. Archaeological sites in India, such as Malhar, Dadupur, Raja Nala Ka Tila and Lahuradewa in the state of Uttar Pradesh show iron implements in the period between 1800 BC - 1200 BC. The Black and Red Ware culture was another early Iron Age archaeological culture of the northern Indian Subcontinent. It is dated to roughly the 12th – 9th centuries BC ...

See also:

Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Asia, Iron Age - Indian Subcontinent, Iron Age - Near East, Iron Age - East Asia, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa, Iron Age - The European Iron Age, Iron Age - Eastern Europe, Iron Age - Central Europe, Iron Age - Mediterranean Europe, Iron Age - British Isles, Iron Age - Northern Scandinavia and Finland, Iron Age - Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia

Read more here: » Iron Age: Encyclopedia II - Iron Age - The Iron Age in Asia

Once artefacts and structures have been excavated, or collected from surface surveys, it is necessary to properly study them, to gain as much data as possible. This process is known as post-excavation analysis, and is normally the most time-consuming part of the archaeological investigation. It is not uncommon for the final excavation reports on major sites to take years to be published. At its most basic, the artefacts found are cleaned, catalogued and compared to published collections, in order to classify them typologically and to ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis

There is still a tremendous emphasis in the practice of archaeology on field techniques and methodologies. These include the tasks of surveying areas in order to find new sites, digging sites in order to unearth the cultural remains therein, and classification and preservation techniques in order to analyse and keep these remains. Every phase of this process can be a source of information. The goals of archaeology are not always the same. There are at least three broad, distinct theories of exactly what archaeological research should do. (These are beyond the scope of the present discussion, and are discussed at length below.) Never ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Goals

Main article: Archaeological theory There is no single theory of archaeology, and even definitions are disputed. Until the mid-20th century and the introduction of technology, there was a general consensus that archaeology was closely related to both history and anthropology. The first major phase in the history of archaeological theory is commonly referred to as cultural, or culture, history, which was dev ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Archaeological theory

The Bronze Age is a period in a civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. The Bronze Age is part of the three-age system for prehistoric societies and follows the Neolithic in some areas of the World. In most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Neolithic is directly fol ...

Including:

• Bronze Age - Asian Bronze Age
• Bronze Age - Aegean Bronze Age
• Bronze Age - British Bronze Age
• Bronze Age - Central European Bronze Age
• Bronze Age - Nordic Bronze Age 1500-500 BC
• Bronze Age - External link

Read more here: » Bronze Age: Encyclopedia - Bronze Age

Iron working was introduced to Europe around 1000 BC, probably from Asia Minor and slowly spread westwards over the succeeding 500 years. In the Netherlands, a starting date from about 800 BC is generally accepted. The Romans introduced writing and therefore ended the prehistoric Dutch Iron Age around 50 A.D. Iron Age - Eastern Europe. The early 1st millennium BC marks the Iron Age in Eastern Europe. In the steppes north of the Black Sea and Azov Sea and the Caucasus, the Iron Age begins with the Koban and ...

See also:

Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Asia, Iron Age - Indian Subcontinent, Iron Age - Near East, Iron Age - East Asia, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa, Iron Age - The European Iron Age, Iron Age - Eastern Europe, Iron Age - Central Europe, Iron Age - Mediterranean Europe, Iron Age - British Isles, Iron Age - Northern Scandinavia and Finland, Iron Age - Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia

Read more here: » Iron Age: Encyclopedia II - Iron Age - The European Iron Age

The earliest known production of steel occurred around 1400 BC in North Africa where steel was being produced in carbon furnaces. The Egyptian ruler Tutankhamun died in 1323 BC and was buried with an iron dagger with a golden hilt. Also an Egyptian sword bearing the name of pharaoh Merneptah and a battle axe with an iron blade and gold-decorated bronze haft were both found in the excavation of Ugarit (see Ugarit: History and Steel: History of iron and steelmaking), dating to circa 1400 BC. The Kushite city of Meroe near modern-day Khartoum was an important site of ...

See also:

Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Asia, Iron Age - Indian Subcontinent, Iron Age - Near East, Iron Age - East Asia, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa, Iron Age - The European Iron Age, Iron Age - Eastern Europe, Iron Age - Central Europe, Iron Age - Mediterranean Europe, Iron Age - British Isles, Iron Age - Northern Scandinavia and Finland, Iron Age - Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia

Read more here: » Iron Age: Encyclopedia II - Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa

Most of human history is not described by any written records. Writing did not exist anywhere in the world until about 5000 years ago, and only spread among a relatively small number of technologically advanced civilisations. In contrast Homo sapiens have existed for at least 200,000 years, and other species of Homo for millions of years (see Human evolution). These civilisations are, not coincidentally, the best-known; they have been open to the inquiry of historians for centuries, while the study of pre-historic cultures has ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Importance and applicability

Main article: History of archaeology The history of archaeology has been one of increasing professionalisation, and the use of an increasing range of techniques, to obtain as much data on the site being examined as possible. Excavations of ancient monuments and the collection of antiquities have been taking place for thousands of years, but these were mostly for the extraction of valuable or aesthetically pleasing artefacts. It was only in the 19th century that the systematic study of the past through its physical ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - History of archaeology

Archaeology - Survey. A modern archaeological project often begins with a survey. Regional survey is the attempt to systematically locate previously unknown sites in a region. Site survey is the attempt to systematically locate features of interest, such as houses and middens, within a site. Each of these two goals may be accomplished with largely the same methods. Survey was not widely practiced in the early days of archaeology. Cultural historians and prior researchers were usually content ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Field methods

Most of human history is not described by any written records. Writing did not exist anywhere in the world until about 5000 years ago, and only spread among a relatively small number of technologically advanced civilisations. In contrast Homo sapiens have existed for at least 200,000 years, and other species of Homo for millions of years (see Human evolution). These civilisations are, not coincidentally, the best-known; they have been open to the inquiry of historians for centuries, while the study of pre-historic cultures has ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage note, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Importance and applicability

In the Old World, archaeology has tended to focus on the study of physical remains, the methods used in recovering them and the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings in achieving the subject's goals. The discipline's roots in antiquarianism and the study of Latin and Ancient Greek provided it with a natural affinity with the field of history. In the New World, archaeology is more commonly devoted to the study of human societies and is treated as one of the four subfields of Anthropology. The other subfields of anthropology supplement t ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage note, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Ontology and definition

Iron working was introduced to Europe around 1000 BC, probably from Asia Minor and slowly spread westwards over the succeeding 500 years. In the Netherlands, a starting date from about 800 BC is generally accepted. The Romans introduced writing and therefore ended the prehistoric Dutch Iron Age around 50 AD. Iron Age - Eastern Europe. The early 1st millennium BC marks the Iron Age in Eastern Europe. In the steppes north of the Black Sea and Azov Sea and the Caucasus, the Iron Age begins with the Koban and ...

See also:

Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Africa and India, Iron Age - The Iron Age in Asia, Iron Age - Near East, Iron Age - East Asia, Iron Age - The European Iron Age, Iron Age - Eastern Europe, Iron Age - Central Europe, Iron Age - Mediterranean Europe, Iron Age - British Isles, Iron Age - Northern Scandinavia and Finland, Iron Age - Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia

Read more here: » Iron Age: Encyclopedia II - Iron Age - The European Iron Age

In the Old World, archaeology has tended to focus on the study of physical remains, the methods used in recovering them and the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings in achieving the subject's goals. The discipline's roots in antiquarianism and the study of Latin and Ancient Greek provided it with a natural affinity with the field of history. In the New World, archaeology is more commonly devoted to the study of human societies and is treated as one of the four subfields of Anthropology. The other subfields of anthropology supplement t ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Ontology and definition

There is still a tremendous emphasis in the practice of archaeology on field techniques and methodologies. These include the tasks of surveying areas in order to find new sites, digging sites in order to unearth the cultural remains therein, and classification and preservation techniques in order to analyse and keep these remains. Every phase of this process can be a source of information. The goals of archaeology are not always the same. There are at least three broad, distinct theories of exactly what archaeological research should do. (These are beyond the scope of the present discussion, and are discussed at length below.) Never ...

See also:

Archaeology, Archaeology - Usage note, Archaeology - Ontology and definition, Archaeology - Importance and applicability, Archaeology - Goals, Archaeology - Academic sub-disciplines, Archaeology - Cultural resources management, Archaeology - Field methods, Archaeology - Survey, Archaeology - Excavation, Archaeology - Post-excavation analysis, Archaeology - History of archaeology, Archaeology - Archaeological theory, Archaeology - Public archaeology, Archaeology - Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology - Looting, Archaeology - Public outreach, Archaeology - Descendant peoples

Read more here: » Archaeology: Encyclopedia II - Archaeology - Goals