Anthropology is interested in infinite aspects of human beings and their societies.

When, where, and why human beings appeared on earth; how and why they change; what are their past and present cultural and customary ways of living? Global and historical scope Holistic (multifaceted )approach: Study many aspects of human life at the same time.

Biological anthropology: interested in biological and physical characteristics of human populations Cultural anthropology a) Archaeology b) Antropological Linguistics c) Ethnology

Human paleontology /paleoanthropology: Interested in Humans and their later evolution. Examine fossils of humans and human related animals; geological information of the climate; also the primates, monkeys, apes. Thus what was our ancestors like, how did our ancestors live and die? How did and do we change? Etc.

Human variation Interested in biological variations among human beings. Homosapiens are very different than other animals, why? They use, human genetics, population biology, epidemiology Epidemiology (the study of why and how different diseases affect different population in different ways.)

http://humanorigins.si.edu/ Jared Diamonds Guns, Germs and Steel

How populations vary in their cultural features. Archaeology: prehistory, of peoples ho have not left much written records. Anthropological linguistics: ho language change over time, why different languages have different construction (structural linguists; ho language used in social contexts( sociolinguistic) Ethnology: recent societies and their lives and cultures.

Applied Antropology is concerned with making anthropological knowledge useful It is not about research but application of the research to daily life.

While archeaology and paleanthropology do not have the same subject matter, their methods and the time periods they study are very similar. Both look at the very distant past, prehistory Through the very little remnants of the past they try to read the story of societies and humans.

Artifact: Anything made or modified by

human beings. Ex: stone tools (lithicss), ceramics, etc. Ecofact: Natural objects that have been used or affected by humans. Ex: animals killed and eaten by humans, insects, cockroaches, etc. Fossil: Remains of animals or humans. Rare. Feaure: A kind of artifact which cannot be removed from the archeological site. Ex: Hearths, buildings, pits, middens.

Sites: known locations of human activity that are

mostly buried by natural processes. Same sites can contain different human populations and societies. stratums. Taphonomy: The study of site disturbance and destruction Finding the sites: pedestrian survey and remote

sensing

Recovering evidence through excavation: 1) finding everything possible 2) record the horizontal and vertical location Archaeology: undisturbed sites; paleanthropology: disturbances

Analysis: reading archeological evidence

Conservation and reconstruction 1.Form and formal analysis: Place artifacts into an typology. Age, species and culture it is affiliated with, how it was used 2.Metric analysis: measure artifacts. 3.How and artifact is made, to learn about technology, economy, exchange, etc. 4. Use-wear analysis

Hunters and gatherers

-nomadic tribes -composed of 30-40 people -hunting, fishing, gathering -little inequality -participatory -unstable membership -sprituel rituals -hunters but not warriors -extiction thanks to modern western civilization

Pastoral and Agrarian

-Domesticating animals and cultivation of land -Mostly mixed a) Parstoral socities: Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia; nomadic; larger communities; yet more complex that huntr and gatherers; trade; warfare; no political centralization b) Horticulture (small gardens, simple tools); accumulate possesions; political authority and ties

-From 6000BC onwards -Cities -Pronounced inequalities of wealth and power -Science and art -Empires; city states;kingdoms. -Not everybody produce food, other kinds of work -Complex division of labour; strict sexual division of labour -Division between ruling class and the rest -Professional army, why?

Non-industrial civilizations /traditional states