Archaeological Analysis

Quick Introduction to Typology

Typology

• System for organizing data using attributes or observable aspects of artifacts.

• Aspects: identifiable nominal variables.

• May or may not have meaning or relevance in real world.

Eye of the beholder

• Stylistic attributes

• Form attributes

• Technological attributes

• Functional categories

Categories (refer to pages 142-159 in your textbook)

• Material and form• Aspects (ratios)

• Place of use and context for meaning

• Archaeologists apply typological analysis to artifacts when trying to make sense of a class of objects that seem to cluster or form groups with variation.

• Example: smoking pipes, footwear, projectile points, beads, bowls, ceramic temper, color…

• Can be extended to features...

• What distinguishes a wine bottle from a milk bottle?

• What is it that makes a tea cup not a coffee mug? What distinguishes cup from mug?

• When is a shoe formal or casual?

• What is a porringer?

By date period and attributes.

Smoking pipe typology arranged by mean manufacturing date.

Analysis of sherds using clay source and temper.

Footwear.

Artifact and Meaning

Navajo silversmith wearing Naja necklace.

Medicine man with Naja

Historic 19th century Naja

Recent Naja 1940

Simulation Exercise 2

• Naja typology

• Identify attributes of several Naja and organize by typological branching.

• Ideally, when finished, you should be able to create a sequential chart that would allow someone to place a new Naja into the chart based on your attribute (criteria) analysis.

Procedures

• Cooperative groups of two.

• Each group to produce a single typological chart for assessment.

• Chart should be presentable.

• Individual synthesis papers describing and validating (defending) typology criteria.