| prehistory | In general, the human past; specifically, the time before the appearance of written records.
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| ethnohistory | The study of ancient (often non-Western) cultures using evidence from documentary sources and oral traditions, and often supplemented with archaeological data.
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| Adena | A burial mound complex that developed in the Ohio River Valley toward the end of the last millennium b.c.
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| Mississippian | The collective name applied to the agricultural societiesthat inhabited portions of the eastern United States from approximately a.d. 700–1600. Mississippian peoples constructed earthen platform moundsand shared certain basic culturalconventions.
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| longhouse | A wooden structure that is considerably longer than it is wide and served as a communal dwelling.
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| Hohokam | One of three major cultural traditions of the American Southwest during late prehistoric times. The Hohokam were centered in the deserts of southern Arizona.
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| Mogollon | One of three major cultural traditions of the American Southwest during late prehistoric times. The Mogollon were centered in the mountainous areas of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.
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| Anasazi | One of three major cultural traditions of the American Southwest during late prehistoric times. The Anasazi were centered in the northern Southwest, on the high plateau of the Four Corners region.
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| steatite | Soapstone, a variety of talc with a soapy or greasy feel, often used to make containers or carved ornaments.
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| post mold | The circular remains, often just a dark stain in the soil, of a wooden post that formed part of the frame of prehistoric structures. Also called a posthole.
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| equinox | A time when the sun crosses the plane of the equator, making night and day the same length all over earth, occurring about March 21 and September 22.
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| chert | A dull-colored, subtranslucent rock resembling flint that was often used for making flaked stone tools.
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| galena | A common, heavy mineral that is the principal ore of lead.
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| hematite | A common, heavy mineral that is the principal ore of iron.
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| slate | A fine-grained rock, with a dull, dark bluish-gray color, that tends to split along parallel cleavage planes, often producing thin plates or sheets.
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| jasper | A high-quality flint, often highly colored, often used as a raw material for the manufacture of stone tools, beads, and other ornaments.
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| lapidary | Of or related to the practice of working or cutting precious orsemiprecious stones, usually forornamental use.
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| gorget | A circular ornament, flat or convex on one side and concave on the other, usually worn over the chest.
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| Hopewell Interaction Sphere | A complex trade network involving goods and information that connected distinct local populations in the midwestern United States from approximately 100 b.c. to a.d. 400.
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| mica | A colored or transparent mineral silicate that readily separates into very thin sheets.
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| effigy | A representation or image of a person or an animal.
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| panpipe | A wind instrument consisting of bound sets of short pipes in graduated lengths.
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| celt | An implement shaped like a chisel or an axe; may be made of stone or metal.
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| atlatl | A spearthrower, or wooden shaft, used to propel a spear or dart.
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| reciprocity | The exchange of goods between known participants, involving simple barter and face-to-face exchanges.
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| redistribution | The accumulation and dispersal of goods through a centralized agency, individual, or institution.
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| palisade | A fence of posts or stakes erected around a settlement for defensive purposes.
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| woodhenge | A circular feature demarcated by large upright timbers, probably used by prehistoric groups as astronomical observatories.
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| solstice | The time of year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equator, occurring about June 21 and December 22.
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| cache | A collection of artifacts, often buried or associated with constructed features, that has been deliberately stored for future use.
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| Southern Cult | A network of interaction, exchange, and shared information present over much of the southeastern (and parts of the midwestern) United States from around a.d. 1200 until the early 1500s.
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| motif | A recurring thematic design element in an art style.
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| charnel house | A house in which the bodies of the dead are placed.
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| iconography | The study of artistic representations or icons that usually have religious or ceremonial significance.
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| conquistador | (Spanish) A conqueror.
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| achieved status | Social status and prestige attributed to an individual according to achievements or skills rather than inherited social position.
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| ascribed status | Social status and prestige attributed to an individualat birth, regardless of ability oraccomplishments.
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| sweat bath | A hut or other space heated by steam that is created by pouring water over hot stones.
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| metate | The stone basin, often trough-shaped, or lower part of a stone-milling assembly for grinding maize or other foods.
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| mano | The hand-held part of a stone-milling assembly for grinding maize or other foods.
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| wattle and daub | A building technique that uses a framework of poles, interspersed with smaller poles and twigs; the wooden frame is plastered with mud or a mud mixture.
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| ball court | A prehispanic structure that was the site of ritual ballgames.
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| adobe | A mud mixture used to make sun-dried bricks for buildings in arid areas.
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| floodwater farming | A method of farming that recovers floodwater and diverts it to selected fields to supplement the water supply.
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| kiva | A semisubterranean ceremonial room found at sites throughout the American Southwest.
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| pueblo | A stone-masonry complex of adjoining rooms found in the American Southwest.
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| dendrochronology | The study of the annual growth rings of trees as a dating technique to build chronologies.
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| jet | A compact, black coal that can be highly polished; used to make beads, jewelry, and other decorative objects.
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| macaw | Any of several varieties of parrots from Mexico and Central and South America that were prized for their colorful feathers.
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| totem pole | A pole or post that has been carved and painted with totems or figures, such as animals, that serve as the emblems of clans or families.
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| tumpline | A strap that is passed over the forehead or the chest to facilitate the transportation of a heavy load carried on the back.
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| wet-site excavation | The technique of excavating waterlogged sites by pumping water through garden hoses to spray the dirt away and expose archaeological features and artifacts.
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| petroglyph | A drawing that has been carved into rock.
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| potlatch | A large feast among Northwest Coast Native Americans that included the display and dispersal of accumulated wealth to the assembled guests.
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| ethnocentrism | Evaluating other groups or societies by standards that are relevant to the observer’s culture.
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