Q&A Hero

Q: Despite the high profile, few archaeologists are involved in public education.

Q: One way or another, virtually all archaeological research depends on public support.

Q: Archaeologists have an obligation to consider views that differ from their own equally valid; this includes frivolous claims made by individuals such as Erick von Dniken's claims that the Egyptian pyramids were built by aliens.

Q: The fact that Kodiak Island native community leaders granted permission for archaeological excavations, as well as provided funding and student interns for the project, showed that Alutiiq people do not object to archaeology, but to an archaeology that sees their participation as unnecessary.

Q: Archaeology can be used to further the political interests of particular groups of people. Nazi archaeologists, for example, argued that agriculture, music and writing systems first appeared in northern Germany and spread throughout the world from there; Hitler used such information to justify the need for Nazi domination of the world.

Q: Research clearly demonstrates that the Bighorn Medicine Wheel in northern Wyoming was intentionally designed as an astronomical observatory, specifically to mark the summer and winter solstices.

Q: Archaeologists are playing an increasingly important role in the investigation of human rights abuses; for instance, professional archaeologists have been involved in recovering MIAs in Vietnam, excavating mass graves in South and Central America, and investigating massacre sites in places such as Croatia, El Salvador, and Rwanda.

Q: Archaeologist Richard Gould (Brown University) developed a volunteer archaeological unit including safety, medical, and public affairs experts designed to help at disaster scenes; this unit is called Forensic Archaeology Recover (FAR).

Q: Forensic archaeology involves using established archaeological techniques and knowledge to assist law enforcement agencies for legal purposes.

Q: When Garbage Project workers investigated alcohol consumption in a sample of Tucson households, they found that the amount of beer people reported drinking and the amount of beer that they actually drank were quite different.

Q: Because it is illegal to rummage through people's garbage, Rathje and colleagues needed to obtain written permission from every household whose garbage they analyzed.

Q: Although archaeology can provide important information about what has happened in the past, the usefulness of archaeology is limited to largely intellectual pursuits; practical applications of archaeology that actual benefit the modern world are extremely rare.

Q: In truth, archaeology ________________the ramifications and conflicts involved when we take multiple versions of reality to the American public. a. Has grown weary of b. Is only beginning to appreciate c. Turns to the National Park Service to confront d. Teaches a hands-off policy regarding

Q: Brian Hatoff took the position when excavating Hidden Cave, outside Fallon, Nevada to a. Do the work quietly in order not to involve spectators b. Protect the site from looting by not publishing his results c. Carry out a public education campaign to encourage community participation d. Close the site permanently

Q: Ancient artificial channels dug along the Peru-Bolivia border a. Provided moisture during wet seasons b. Served as heat sinks c. Are not viable alternatives for rural development today d. Was not cost effective

Q: Clea Koff earned her degree in anthropology and joined a team of experts brought together by a. Society for Physicians and Archaeologists (SPA) b. Criminal Tribunals, International c. Physicians for Human Rights d. Society for American Archaeology (SAA)

Q: Professional archeologists have joined investigatory teams to a. Recover MIAs in Vietnam b. Excavate mass graves of missing persons in Central America c. Stop illegal slave trade d. A & B

Q: According to the textbook the Garbage Project recovered a. A plastic bag with a compacted cigarette buts b. 40-year-old newspapers with hot dogs wrapped in them c. 80-year-old construction debris d. Evidence of Audubon Society bird counts

Q: Most people think landfills are comprised of______________, when in fact the volume is going down. a. Plastics b. Appliances c. Paper d. Computers

Q: According to the textbook, the Garbage Project has studied a number of social issues, including a. Alcohol consumption b. Cell phone communication c. Underage use of prescription drugs d. Gun trafficking

Q: During WWII some American archeologists volunteered their services in the war effort. a. Several collaborated on "national character" studies that tried to characterize peoples who were either allies or enemies b. Ruth Benedict provided information that would ultimately prove critical for Allied forces occupying Japan during the prewar period c. The Human Terrain Team helped military see situations from an indigenous perspective d. They volunteered as servicemen and women, not as archaeologists.

Q: Archaeology is about the a. living and dead b. past and future c. data necessary to prove science is infallible d. A & B

Q: Archaeology contributes to our understanding of the human condition by a. what it learns about the past b. how it goes about learning about the past c. assumptions that are proven to be correct d. A & B

Q: In the future it will be most important for archeology to show that a. Information can be gathered using state-of-the- art digital technology b. How different environmental and historical circumstances work together to create diversity of human societies c. Racist assumptions have basis in material data d. Modern garbage holds the key to understanding our past

Q: The more important role in archaeology in the future will be to a. Use archeological techniques to understand modern garbage b. Gather data necessary to bring criminals to justice c. Re-excavate ancient ruins with better technology d. Knock down walls that often divide people of the world

Q: Which of the following is true of Kodiak Island archaeology today? a. The Alutiiq people refuse to allow any archaeological investigations on the island. b. The Alutiiq people have granted permission and provided resources for archaeological investigations, and actively promote educational programs on Alutiiq culture, language, and arts. c. Only Alutiiq people are allowed to conduct archaeological investigations on the island. d. The archaeological record of the island has been entirely lost due to winter storms and vandalism.

Q: When excavated several hundred graves and thousands of associated artifacts from Kodiak Island in the 1930s and sent them to the Smithsonian Institution: a. He made sure to obtain the permission of the living descendants first. b. He saw no need to consult with the local community, viewing the bones and artifacts from a strictly scientific perspective. c. He was able to do so without concern for the wishes of any descendants because the island was unoccupied at the time of excavation. d. He was met with many volunteers from the local community who were eager to assist in his excavations so that they could learn more about their own history.

Q: Kodiak Island in the far north is the aboriginal home to: a. b. Russian Orthodox Church c. Alutiiq d. Kodiak bear

Q: Repatriation is seen by: a. archaeologists and other scientists as a tragedy that will only lead to the destruction of irreplaceable scientific materials. b. Native Americans as social justice; reburial is the only way to right the wrongs inflicted by centuries of colonialism. c. archaeologists as an ethical decision; archaeologists are not the only ones who own the past. d. everyone as an extremely divisive issue; there is no one "Native American perspective" or one "archaeological" perspective.

Q: Nazi archaeology provides an example of: a. The insight into prehistory that can be gained when a single group appropriates complete control over the past. b. The misinterpretation and outright fabrication of prehistory that can occur when a single group appropriates complete control over the past. c. How a love of prehistory and sound scientific reasoning can overcome social and political domination. d. How archaeology can help people reestablish pride in their culture, history, and heritage.

Q: While prehistory was largely ignored in Germany prior to Hitler's rise to power, archaeological research flourished under Hitler's control. Nazi archaeology: a. Provided Europe with some of the best archaeological research that had ever been done, using cutting edge methods and sound scientific principles. b. Found evidence that Germanic people had emanated from a northern European core area, carrying with them all the major cultural achievements that then spread to the less civilized peoples of Europe. c. Was used to support claims for Aryan superiority, in spite of the fact that no such evidence existed. d. Found evidence of Aryan kings in locations as far away as Tibet and Iceland, thus proving the cultural and biological superiority of Germanic peoples.

Q: The Bighorn Medicine Wheel today: a. Is off limits to the general public. b. Remains a sacred site to many contemporary Indian people, where ceremonies are performed to this day. c. Has been abandoned by contemporary Indian people because it is overrun by large crowds of tourists. d. Has been completely looted and destroyed; sadly, nothing of the original site remains.

Q: The ethnohistoric record suggests that the Bighorn Medicine Wheel was: a. A site for vision quests. b. An astronomical observatory. c. A two-dimensional imitation of the 28-raftered lodge built as part of the Sun Dance ceremony. d. A burial ground.

Q: Archaeological evidence has shown that the Bighorn Medicine Wheel in the past was used as: a. An astronomical observatory. b. A directional aid for travelers. c. A burial ground; the rock cairns were graves, each one marking where a powerful person was buried. d. None of the above; we de not know what the Medicine Wheel was in the past.

Q: Wyoming's Bighorn Medicine Wheel site consists of: a. A rock art panel depicting what is thought to represent a medicine wheel along with abstract representations of bighorn sheep. b. A stone circle, or "wheel", nearly 90 feet in diameter, perched atop a 9640 foot high peak. c. A large, continuously occupied pithouse village along the banks of the Bighorn River. d. A portion of the natural landscape in the Bighorn Mountains that is sacred to Native American tribes in the region; the site itself contains nothing cultural in origin (in other words, no material remains).

Q: An artificial mound of stones, deliberately constructed in order to aid navigation, as a memorial, or to mark the location of a grave is a: a. Medicine wheel. b. Trail marker. c. Cairn. d. Spiritual site.

Q: The Battle of the Alamo is enshrined in American folklore as: a. A "holy altar", where the martyrs' deaths of Texan soldiers successfully delayed Mexican forces and ultimately set up a victory for Texas. b. A tragic and pointless slaughter of American soldiers by the Mexican troops who vastly outnumbered them. c. An unexpected victory for Texan soldiers, who although they were drastically outnumbered by the Mexican army, fought heroically and were able to overcome the Mexican soldiers. d. The ultimate triumph of good over evil, where Mexican soldiers, seeing the justness of the American cause, joined Texan troops to defeat the Mexican army.

Q: The Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT), the state-appointed custodians of the Alamo, for years discouraged mission-period research into the Alamo because: a. They believed it would perpetuate animosity between the current Texan and Mexican populations. b. They believed it would detract from the "true" historical significance of the Alamo as the cradle of Texas liberty. c. They did not believe that the Alamo even existed during mission times, and so did not want to devote time and money into its research. d. All of the above.

Q: It is important that archaeologists devote attention to public education because: a. It is ultimately the public that financially supports archaeological research. b. Members of an educated public are far less likely to loot or vandalize archaeological sites. c. Both A and B. d. None of the above; it is the archaeologist's job to conduct research, not waste valuable time and money talking to an uninformed public.

Q: Archaeological evidence has been used to reintroduce ancient technology in areas where it might be useful, such as in Andean farming communities. Results of these experiments indicate: a. That ancient technology cannot be effectively employed because the social, political, and economic systems of the past were completely different from those of today. b. That ancient technology can be highly efficient and cost effective even in the modern world. c. That modern communities are skeptical of the benefits of ancient technology, and are thus unwilling to invest resources in what they consider to be outdated techniques. d. That archaeologists do not know enough ancient technologies to effectively implement them in the modern world.

Q: At Home St. Jean in Rwanda, forensic archaeologists concluded that a mass grave site was part of a program of genocide because: a. Cut marks on bones showed that many individuals were killed by machetes from behind, as if they were fleeing their attackers. b. Cut marks on the bones of hands and forearms showed that some people were unmercifully macheted to death with their arms raised in self defense. c. The murdered civilians were unarmed. d. All of the above.

Q: DiBlasi's archaeological research in Louisville's Eastern Cemetery: a. Documented abundant grave reuse in the cemetery and was important in the effort to prosecute the cemetery's operators. b. Pointed out the problems that can arise in Kentucky cemeteries where reuse of graves is not illegal. c. Showed that grave reuse began only in the late 1980s. d. Documented that grave reuse had not occurred, contrary to accusations by the backhoe operator.

Q: A forensic archaeologist might be involved in: a. Using archaeological methods and techniques to help solve crimes. b. Training law enforcement personnel in basic archaeological principles. c. Documenting human rights violations by excavating mass grave sites. d. All of the above

Q: What types of archaeological knowledge could be useful for law enforcement personnel? a. Knowing how to distinguish human from animal bone. b. Knowing how to probe the ground to determine the location of subsurface pits. c. Knowing how to read soil profiles, topographic maps, and soil reports, as well as map surface evidence. d. All of the above.

Q: The application of archaeological and bioarchaeological knowledge for legal purposes is: a. Bioarchaeology. b. Applied science. c. Forensic archaeology. d. Forensic science.

Q: The Garbage Project demonstrated which of the following about America's landfills? a. Thanks to the recent public focus on recycling, only about 1% of our landfills' space is taken up by paper products. b. Disposable diapers, plastic bottles, and large appliances together make up roughly 50% of a landfill's volume. c. Very little in our landfills actually biodegrades; after 20 years, from 1/3 to 1/2 of all organic materials are still recognizable. d. Organic material tends to biodegrade rapidly in our landfills, leaving abundant room for other types of garbage; contrary to popular opinion, space for landfills around large cities is in no danger of running out.

Q: Why did Rathje resort to rooting through peoples' garbage rather than simply asking them questions about their consumption behavior? a. Because people do not always answer questionnaires accurately and honestly. b. Because the distribution of households made it impossible to conduct a random sample survey. c. Because only garbage associated with abandoned houses could legally be examined, and there was therefore no one to ask. d. Because so many households were included in the study, having people respond to questionnaires would have been an enormous and costly task.

Q: As demonstrated by the Garbage Project's research into landfills, the bulk of American landfills are comprised of: a. Plastic. b. Paper. c. Construction materials. d. Aluminum.

Q: The Garbage Project was started in Tucson, Arizona in 1973 by: a. Emil Haury. b. William Rathje. c. Wilson Hughes. d. Clea Koff.

Q: Applied archaeology: a. Brings the techniques of archaeology to non-traditional venues. b. Applies our knowledge of the human past to concrete economic or social problems. c. Can make archaeology relevant to the modern world. d. All of the above.

Q: Which of the following activities would an applied anthropologist be least likely to be involved in? a. Evaluating domestic social programs looking for ways to improve them. b. Helping corporations improve corporate working conditions. c. Conducting research to better understand how and why the major social institutions evolved. d. Helping to develop culturally appropriate methods of delivering health care.

Q: The difference between pure science and applied science is: a. Pure science is research to acquire the knowledge necessary to solve a specific, recognized problem, while applied science is systematic research directed toward acquisition of knowledge for its own sake. b. Pure science is systematic research directed toward acquisition of knowledge for its own sake, while applied science is research to acquire the knowledge necessary to solve a specific, recognized problem. c. Pure science is systematic research directed toward acquisition of knowledge for its own sake, while applied science is the application of scientific knowledge for legal purposes. d. Pure science has no hidden political agenda, while applied science does.

Q: The U.S. passed laws such as the 1983 Cultural Property Implementation Act and signed treaties with several countries that specifically prohibit the importing of artifacts without established "pedigrees." Some of these "grandfather in" artifacts excavated before the treaty's date. This means that a. there is no longer control over the artifact trade networks and illegal transfer of artifacts across national boundaries. b. an importer cannot be held responsible for artifacts that they did not know were illegal. c. an importer must now prove that artifacts were excavated prior to the treaty's date or were otherwise obtained in ways not prohibited by the treaty. d. it will become easier and easier for someone to import illegally acquired artifacts.

Q: Although the Pentagon had promised to protect Iraqi cultural institutions, the Baghdad Museum remained unguarded. An investigation by Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, USMC concluded that a. the Pentagon was not at fault. b. 40 items were stolen from the main galleries, and more than 13,000 items from storage rooms. c. no attempts would be made to recover the artifacts. d. the items probably never left Iraq.

Q: Jack Lee Harelson was a dangerous looter, illegal gun salesman and attempted murderer. In his backyard were found a. antiquities that amounted to the "Rosetta Stone" of Nevada. b. 10,000-year-old rifles that were some of the oldest dated in the world. c. baskets with bodies of two children, mummified in the dry desert. d. None of the above.

Q: In compliance with Section 106, if sites are located during survey, determined eligible for the register, but cannot be avoided by the project, they might be a. slated for preservation by local or state entities. b. slated for "data recovery", which means extensive excavations and associated analyses of artifacts, ecofacts, and sediments. c. slated for destruction without recovering data. d. reason for hot debates among citizens, officials, and the project manager.

Q: While private CRM firms carry out most of the compliance projects, who pays for the projects? a. The public through federal tax dollars. b. Concerned citizens who are interested in the welfare of properties. c. University research funding. d. Whoever is doing the construction.

Q: Compliance with Section 106 includes a systematic survey of the "area of potential effect" (APE). This area includes a. only the area directly affected. b. the area directly affected and anticipated to be affected after the project's completion. c. the area that funding allows. d. the area addressed in the research question.

Q: If you want to build something on Federal property or modify that landscape, or if you want to construct something that requires federal funding, licenses, or permits, regardless of whose property you will build it on, then you must a. make certain to be careful that you do the least amount of harm to the properties involved. b. determine if the undertaking will cause negative feelings among the neighboring population. c. consider the effects to future wildlife species. d. determine whether the project will adversely affect any sites "included or eligible for" the National Register.

Q: The NHPA requires that the government inventory federal lands for archaeological and historic sites. As a result a. many archaeologists cannot find jobs. b. many archeologist now work in Bureau of Land Management offices or the National Park Service. c. agencies have been able to enumerate all of the holdings on federal lands. d. agencies cannot work with college or university research programs.

Q: In the 1960's the American public became concerned about resource conservation. According to the text, many who recognized that wilderness and wildlife refuges alone could not stem the effects of pollution were aroused by a. the war in Vietnam. b. habitat threats to the whooping crane. c. increasing corruption among SHPO officials. d. Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring.

Q: The Antiquities Act is the foundation of all future archaeological legislation. It is not limited to archaeological sites, but includes a. dams to generate electricity, irrigate lands, and control floods that damage archaeological sites. b. all river basins prior to inundation. c. objects of historic or scientific interest. d. museums, universities, and other scientific institutions that deal with antiquities.

Q: Important sites exist in poor countries that cannot afford the luxuries of protecting their properties. A question brought out by the destruction of the 175-foot-tall, 1500-year-old Bamiyan Buddas by the Taliban was a. Does the world's interest in global heritage override national sovereignty? b. Should the world tell the Taliban what it can do to statues that are present in (what was) their country? c. Who pays for the cleanup of such destruction? d. A and B

Q: Archaeologists must balance the need for development with the need to protect precious archaeological resources. In the example of Machu Picchu a. tourist dollars are a source of income; archaeologists support the tourism to help the nation of Peru, even if it destroys the site. b. archaeologists want people to know about the site and are willing to see some of the value and beauty destroyed. c. archaeologists support making tourism viable in a way that maintains the site's integrity and scientific value. d. archaeologists are, by profession, required to maintain a non-political, hands-off policy.

Q: Which of the following is true of the Elgin marbles? a. They were willingly given to the British museum by Greece because Greece at the time could not protect them from damage cause by pollution; however, Greece now wants them back. b. They were stolen from Greece by the British Museum, and the British Museum refuses to return them. c. They were legally purchased from Lord Elgin by the British Museum; however, there is much controversy over whether Elgin's acquisition of them was ethical, and whether or not the marbles should be returned to Greece. d. The British Museum has finally returned them to Greece in the spirit of "the unity of the European cultural heritage."

Q: The courts ruled in the "Kennewick Man" case that the 9400-year-old human skeleton: a. Was most likely a lineal descendant of the Umatilla, and should therefore be repatriated to the tribe for reburial. b. Was not Native American as defined under NAGPRA, and that even if he were, he could not be culturally affiliated with any of the tribes who claimed him. c. Was culturally affiliated with the Nez Perce, as evidenced by the abundant grave goods buried with the skeleton that are very similar to items made by the Nez Perce today. d. Could be culturally affiliated with multiple tribes on the basis of archaeology and oral traditions, and that therefore the tribes would have to decide amongst themselves who would receive the skeleton.

Q: Cultural affiliation under NAGPRA is determined by: a. Anthropological and archaeological evidence. b. Folklore and oral tradition. c. Geographical and historical evidence. d. All of the above.

Q: Under NAGPRA, how is cultural affiliation of human skeletal remains and other covered items determined? a. First, ownership resides with any lineal descendants, followed by the tribe on whose land the remains or objects were found, followed by the tribe with the closest cultural affiliation and who stakes a claim to the remains, followed by the tribe who is recognized as aboriginally occupying the land on which the remains were found. b. First ownership resides with any lineal descendants, followed by the tribe with the closest cultural affiliation and who stakes a claim to the remains, followed by the tribe who is recognized as aboriginally occupying the land on which the remains were found, followed by the tribe on whose land the remains or objects were actually found. c. First ownership resides with any lineal descendants, followed by the tribe who is recognized as aboriginally occupying the land on which the remains were found, followed by the tribe on whose land the remains or objects were actually found, followed by the tribe with the closest cultural affiliation and who stakes a claim to the remains. d. First ownership resides with the tribe who is recognized as aboriginally occupying the land on which the remains were found, followed by any lineal descendants, followed by the tribe on whose land the remains or objects were actually found, followed by the tribe with the closest cultural affiliation and who stakes a claim to the remains.

Q: NAGPRA requires the repatriation not only of human skeletal remains, but also of: a. Funerary objects, objects placed with a human body as part of a death rite or ceremony or made to contain human remains at the time of burial. b. Sacred objects, specific ceremonial objects necessary for current practice of traditional Native American religions by present-day adherents. c. Objects of cultural patrimony, objects that have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to a Native-American group or culture and that were inalienable at the time they left the tribe's possession. d. All of the above.

Q: NAGPRA: a. Allows scientists to study Native American skeletal material and associated grave goods for a specific amount of time before repatriating the material to a culturally affiliated tribe. b. Allows tribes to decide what happens to all pre-Columbian human remains and artifacts, regardless of whether or not cultural affiliation can be demonstrated. c. Requires the repatriation of Native American human skeletal remains, associated grave goods, or sacred objects to culturally affiliated tribes, who can then decide what to do with the remains or objects (study them, rebury them, etc). d. Requires Native Americans to return all previously repatriated Native American skeletal material and associated grave goods to scientists for further study.

Q: NAGPRA refers to the: a. North Atlantic Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. b. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. c. North American Graves Production and Redistribution Act. d. Native Alaskan Graves Production and Redistribution Act.

Q: What drives the continuation of the antiquities trade? a. Wealthy collectors willing to pay high prices who create a market. b. The native populations of poor countries who loot archaeological sites to feed their families. c. Museums that are willing to accept artifacts without proper documentation of how they were acquired. d. Unscrupulous archaeologists who secretly pocket any rare or otherwise valuable items during an excavation.

Q: Which of the following actions is not required under NAGPRA for institutions receiving federal funding? a. Institutions must inventory burials/grave goods and objects of cultural patrimony. b. Institutions must consult with appropriate Native American tribes determined to be "culturally affiliated" with the remains and objects regarding their repatriation. c. Institutions must pay the tribe affiliated with burials/grave goods possessed by the institution. d. Institutions must agree to repatriate materials if requested.

Q: The 100 countries that have signed the UNESCO Convention of 1970 agree to: a. Regulate the import and export of cultural objects. b. Forbid their nations' museums from acquiring illegally exported cultural objects, and return or otherwise provide restitution of cultural objects stolen from public institutions. c. Establish ways to inform other nations when illegally exported objects are found within a country's borders, and establish a register of art dealers. d. All of the above.

Q: The illegal import of antiquities if hard to stop and the complexities of dealing with the illegal trade are comparable to : a. dealing with complexities related to illegal drug trade. b. dealing with global warming. c. dealing with forest conservation. d. preserving biodiversity.

Q: Which of the following laws apply to archaeological resources on private land? a. Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA). b. Antiquities Act. c. National Historic Preservation Act. d. None of the above.

Q: The penalty for violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) is: a. Up to $500 and/or up to 90 days in prison. b. Up to $250,000 and/or up to 5 years in prison; the federal government can also confiscate any equipment used to loot sites, including vehicles. c. No monetary fine, but up to 5 years in prison. d. Nonexistent; this is part of the problem with trying to enforce the act.

Q: The federal government estimates that of the 2 million archaeological sites presently recorded in the American Southwest, _________ percent have been looted to some degree. a. 5 - 10. b. 25 - 40. c. 50 - 90. d. 100.

Q: CRM survey projects differ from research survey projects in that: a. More volunteers and students are usually present on CRM survey projects, and so these projects tend to move more slowly than research survey projects. b. In CRM, the research question determines the survey area. c. In CRM, the size and nature of the development project largely determines the survey area. d. If sites are located on CRM survey projects, investigators do not need to determine their significance.

Q: If an archaeological site is considered significant under the National Historic Preservation Act, then it is: a. Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. b. Automatically placed on the National Register of Historic Places. c. Protected from all future activities that might be considered destructive, including excavation. d. Still likely to be destroyed prior to investigation, as a determination of significance has no power to actually protect an archaeological site.