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Yelim Lee

Anthropology 206
Archaeology Response 1

When some people think of archaeology, a romanticized view, somewhat like the Indiana
Jones movies, come into mind. But, the reality is different from the silver screen, as shown in
Andy Bryans comical essay. The methods and conduct of Indiana Jones would horrify some
legitimate archaeologists today.
Archaeology, like many branches of anthropology, have to walk a fine line between the
interests of the people and ethics. The Audience of archaeological research and the subjects of
the research may very well be different. Archaeologists must keep in check their ethnocentrism
and respect the area and people they work with. Remains of animals, for example, are easier to
gain access for research than human remains, according to Kelsey Witt, an anthropological
researcher. The people in that region may object to dissection and close analysis of their
ancestors for both cultural and spiritual reasons. Animals usually dont have that restriction.
Indiana Jones with his grand destruction of pyramids and disregard for international and local
laws certainly isnt professional conduct. Archaeology is more than grave-robbing and
treasure hunting glamour. According to Archaeology: Methods, Theories, and Practices, early
forays into dig sites used to stem from a desire to find ancient works of art or artifacts. These
days, however, research is funded by the government or other non-profit organizations. In
Processual Archeology, rather than to generate more information, archaeologists attempt to
answer specific questions economically.

Archaeology has branched out to help answer those questions: Bioarchaeology, in


particular, seems to feature in many news stories nowadays. The ability to gather and analyze
genetic material has been able to prove and date so many topics in the field. In Science Daily,
Some Archaeologists were able to use lipid fingerprinting to figure out the fat residue left behind
on Neolithic Irish pots. Dairy was already a large production for Emerald Isle, but the scientists
were surprised to figure out that dairying was so prevalent in ancient times as well. Compared to
pots found in other areas of Europe, Island had much less residue from meat fat, such as mutton
or beef. With this information, Scientists can create a dietary and economic comparison between
Ancient Ireland and the rest of the world.
Rather than finding out what happened explicitly, archaeologists are finding out the
logistics: the why not the how. Explaining the change, analyzing the facts, have become
important. For example, some archaeologists are researching the migration of dogs with humans.
According to Kelsey Witt, a graduate student of University of Illinois, dogs have been with
humans since 11,000 to 16,000 years ago. When the first humans crossed the land bridge from
Siberia to the New World, dogs may have come with them on the journey. As for the why, dogs
have proven to be an important domesticated animal to the humans. Not only did they serve as
animals of burden, dog meat was eaten when the situation called for it. The fact that dogs were
buried ceremonially alluded to the special reverence and relationship the people had with these
animals.
Although the government funds archaeological research, the findings are important to
many people around the globe. The archaeologist must consider many different people in the
process of their study. What they find can affect people of many different backgrounds, those
that they are researching and those reading articles around the world. What they have found have

helped to further scientific studies: the dating of human societies and Neanderthals, evolution,
archeology has, in one way or another, contributed to these concepts. Thus, with the subject
affecting so many lives and human beings, the readers, the audience, of archaeological papers
can be said to be the human race.

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