Q&A Hero

Q: Most early Homo species, when compared to australopithecines, are characterized by: a) larger brains and smaller jaws and teeth b) smaller brains and larger jaws and teeth c) knuckle-walking and increased olfactory abilities d) dwelling in trees and having limited daytime vision e) a lack of tool-use and reduced bipedalism

Q: The process of assigning an absolute age of materials is known as: a. context dating b. stratigraphic succession c. relative dating d. chronometric dating e. calendric succession

Q: Examples of relative dating includes: a. assigning a specific calendar date b. telling the rough age in years c. determining whether an object is older, younger, or the same age as another d. a seldom-used means of determining the age of an archaeological material e. determining the radioactive decay rates of a burned object

Q: It is thought that early Homo species evolved from one of the ___________ australopithecines, perhaps A. garhi a) gracile b) robust c) prosimian d) knuckle-walking e) gentile

Q: Reconstructing human technology and material culture as a means of generating testable ideas about the past is known as: a. experimental archaeology b. processual archaeology c. ethnoarchaeology d. ethology e. paleoanthropology

Q: "Lucy," a famous skeleton discovered in the 1970s in East Africa, is an example of which hominin species? a) Homo erectus b) Homo sapiens c) Proconsul d) Ardipithecus ramidus e) Australopithecus afarensis

Q: A prominent difference between humans and modern great apes is that only humans display: a) mobile shoulder joints b) a lack of a tail c) agile hands d) stereoscopic color vision e) bipedal locomotion

Q: Ape species began to dwindle during the Miocene leaving few ape species, a situation that exists up to the present. It is thought that ape species numbers were reduced at that time because a) interspecies warfare caused whole lineages to go extinct b) early apes were used to ice age conditions and could not effectively adapt to life after the ice age c) the climate warmed and the forests expanded and apes had primarily been desert and savannah species d) the climate cooled and forests that the early apes lived in began to decline leaving only a restricted ecological zone for these forest-dwellers to live in e) most of the individual ape species interbred and became one species

Q: The study of contemporary human societies as a means of understanding the past is known as: a. experimental archaeology b. processual archaeology c. ethnoarchaeology d. ethology e. paleoanthropology

Q: Which of the following refers to the process of attaching a handle to a tool? a. haft b. hilt c. fix d. flake e. artifact

Q: The archaeological record is typically contained within locations of past human activity, called a. features b. sites c. primary context d. regions e. ecofacts

Q: Which of the following is a common trait among most primates: a) dexterous hands b) nails instead of claws c) eyesight with stereoscopic color vision d) locomotion that places emphasis on hind legs e) all of the above

Q: Which of the following is NOT a model that has emerged to describe the mode and/or tempo by which evolutionary changes have occurred in a species: a) gradualism b) processualism c) punctuated equilibrium d) adaptive radiation e) profound splitting of species to produce "bushes," or complexes of closely related, yet distinct, species

Q: Darwin's concept of "the survival of the fittest" or "natural selection" is based on the idea that organisms with inherited traits that enable them survive: a) tend to reproduce at a lower rate than other members of their species and only pass few of their unique traits on to their offspring b) tend to reproduce at a greater rate than other members of their species and pass on the favorable traits to their offspring c) are more aggressive than other organism and kill off the competition d) are less aggressive than other organisms and are usually killed by the pack e) form an entirely new species that cannot reproduce with other organisms

Q: The spatial and temporal relationships between artifacts and features is known as: a. context b. taphonomy c. palynology d. absolute dating e. site survey

Q: Which of the following terms best defines an ecofact? a. any non-portable evidence of human behavior b. any portable evidence of human behavior c. any location with evidence of human occupation d. any evidence of past environments e. the ecological niche of a hominin species

Q: The study of archaeology has an "upper limit." It is only concerned with the portion of human history that occurred before the invention of writing.

Q: Symbolic behavior has been recorded in such non-human species as dolphins and gorillas.

Q: Which of the following would NOT be an example of a feature? a. a human burial with grave goods b. a circular arrangement of stones around wood charcoal c. a pyramid d. the foundation stones of a hut e. plant and animal remains

Q: Artifacts are typically defined as: a. any non-portable evidence of human activity b. any evidence that was made or modified by people in the past c. any evidence of past environment d. only stone tools, like arrowheads e. any place with evidence of human activity

Q: What do archaeologists assume is the source of the organization and structure of the archaeological record? a. past human behavior b. geologic processes c. stratigraphic succession d. primary contexts e. home-based foraging

Q: Archaeology is often considered to be a sub-discipline of anthropology.

Q: Which of the following is a justification for conducting archaeological excavation? a. to determine that all the 2,000 year old sites that exist were laid down 2.000 years ago. b. most professional attitudes toward excavations have remained the same for over two centuries. c. most information cannot be provided through site survey d. excavation is not destructive e. data is needed about specific important questions or sites are threatened with destruction

Q: Most recent archaeological studies draw on both processualism and postprocessualism to form meaningful interpretations of the past.

Q: Which of the following is the most common means of site survey? a. aerial photos b. satellite imagery c. ground penetrating radar d. pedestrian fieldwork e. remote sensing

Q: Most archaeologists now believe that migration has caused almost all change in human society and that it is the primary reason why societies change.

Q: The non-intrusive method of discovering archaeological sites is known as: a. excavation b. reclamation c. site survey d. field work e. taphonomy

Q: Recent studies of preserved ancient DNA have suggested that humans interbred with Neanderthals.

Q: Which one of the following is NOT one of the primary goals of archaeology? a. determine the "when" and "where" of past cultures b. reconstruct past lifeways c. explain past cultural events d. explore cognitive and symbolic dimensions of past humans e. disregard the oldest evidence of early hominins

Q: Radiocarbon dating can be used on the very earliest human remains. In fact the method is most effective on material that is more than 40,000 years old.

Q: The study of the human past, primarily through material remains, is known as: a. paleoanthropology b. archaeology c. ethnographic d. cultural anthropology e. physical anthropology

Q: According to Elman Service's classification of societies, a tribe is the most complex form of society and is characterized by centralized leadership and consists of people of different rank and wealth.

Q: Archaeology can be used to study both the amazing achievements of human culture and the mundane details of everyday life.

Q: Which of the following would NOT be helpful in reconstruction the local paleoecological setting in which early hominins lived? a. animal bones washed into a stream bed b. a piece of pottery found within a storage pit c. an assortment of sharp stone tools next to a butchered carcass d. wood charcoal found within a hearth e. anatomical relationships between humans and contemporary nonhuman primates

Q: Taphonomy is defined as: a. the precise temporal and spatial relationship between artifacts and features b. the study of hominin locomotion c. the study of how bones and other materials become buried and preserved as part of the archaeological record d. the study of past environment e. establishing chronological relationships within a site

Q: Archaeology is only concerned with the material remains of the past; questions about the social and symbolic aspects of ancient cultures are the subjects other disciplines.

Q: The study of the development of the human mind as well as religious and symbolic behavior is called: a) agency theory b) cognitive archaeology c) processual archaeology d) cultural ecology e) ethnoarchaeology

Q: The earliest artifact sites are from the Gona and Bouri areas, dating to a. 7 mya b. 2.6 mya c. 500,000 years ago d. 1.5 mya e. 5 mya

Q: Which of the following types of evidence of hominin behavior are most likely available for study? a. cognitive aspects b. economic components c. political aspects d. material culture e. social structure

Q: One very clear and codified example of symbolic behavior in humans is: a) the development of fire b) the development of agriculture to feed large populations c) the growth of urbanism and concentration of population d) the use of writing to convey ideas e) the ability to walk upright

Q: Why are stone tools important for reconstructing the human past? a. They are the aspect of culture most often preserved. b. They represent the most important part of culture. c. They define the home range. d. Tool use is a unique to hominins. e. They are always manufactured.

Q: At the end of the last Ice Age food resources became more abundant and human communities were able to develop more sophisticated ways of living. This resulted in a) an increase in human population b) a decrease in human population c) the human population stabilizing for the first time d) first an increase and then a rapid decrease in human population e) a small increase and then a gradual leveling out of human population

Q: In postprocessual archaeology, multivocality can be defined as the idea that: a) archaeological conclusions are the only interpretations of the past that are based on fact b) limiting the number of groups involved in the study of history reduces confusion when arriving at the truth c) there are many ways to interpret the past and that there should be no single "official" version of the past d) in the past multiple groups influenced each other through such processes as emulation and migration e) archaeologists should have no role in understanding the past

Q: Which of the following statements about tool use by the earliest protohominins is correct? a. Stone tools were regularly manufactured. b. They formed a central part of trade strategies. c. They likely used tools in a manner similar to modern chimpanzees and bonobos. d. They are identified as tools by archaeologists. e. They were stones that were sharpened.

Q: The key concept that underpins the postprocessual approach to archaeology is: a) the belief that all archaeological conclusions must be objective and completely based on science b) the reliance on science to come up with clear answers to archaeological questions c) an assertion in the expertise of archaeologists when it comes to interpreting the past d) the rejection of the idea that we can ever attain objective knowledge about the past e) the belief that the natural environment is the reason for most change in human society

Q: The overall study of fossil hominins is known as: a. physical anthropology b. ethnography c. paleoanthropology d. archaeology e. ethology

Q: Protohominis lived approximately a. 200,000 years ago b. 1 - 2.5 mya c. 2.5 - 5 mya d. 5 " 7 mya e. over 10 mya

Q: Proponents of processual archaeology have drawn heavily on parallels between ancient cultures and modern ones. The study of modern traditional societies to inform archaeological data is called: a) cognitive archaeology b) agency theory c) experimental archaeology d) ethnoarchaeology e) postmodern archaeology

Q: Another name for processual archaeology is: a) postmodern archaeology b) migrationist theory c) postprocessual archaeology d) ethnobotany e) the new archaeology

Q: The interaction of both physical and cultural aspects of hominin behavior is known as a biocultural evolution b. mosaic evolution c. bio-cognition d. taphonomy e. paleoecology

Q: Contact between cultures allows for the spread of technologies and innovations. This process is known as: a) innovation b) cognition c) affectation d) diffusion e) agency

Q: Culture is defined by which of the following characteristics? a. economic activities b. symbolic communication c. social organization d. material culture e. cognitive, political, social, economic and technological components

Q: The term "hominin" refers to: a. all great apes b. modern humans and now extinct bipedal relatives c. all bipedal apes d. only modern humans e. only extinct bipedal relatives

Q: The belief that individuals in the past are knowledgeable actors and thus have been able to effect changes within their society has given rise to the development of: a) cultural ecology b) cognitive archaeology c) agency theory d) experimental archaeology e) ethnoarchaeology

Q: What are the benefits of studying nonhuman primates in wild environments, as opposed to captive environments? What is the greatest challenge facing physical anthropologists conducting primate research today?

Q: One approach to the question of "change" in the past is the concept of cultural ecology. Cultural ecology is: a) the idea that societal change is completely voluntary, the result of decisions specifically made by humans b) the idea that most change in human society has been in response to the environment c) the idea that humanity and society do not change, but rather stay the same over time no matter what d) the mechanism through which societies learn such techniques as farming from the observation of other societies e) the belief that culture only changes when there is a migration or other direct outside influence from another society

Q: Do you think apes have language? Discuss some of the questions that have been raised and what research has demonstrated.

Q: The idea that if a sequence of sediments is unmixed and undisturbed, the oldest layers will be at the bottom, is known as: a) the Principle of Superposition b) the Three Age system c) the Principle of Association d) processualism e) cultural geology

Q: The main challenge faced in the study of ancient DNA is that: a) so much ancient DNA is preserved that it is hard to tell what remains should be sampled b) only a few people know the proper techniques for studying ancient DNA c) the human genome has not been completely mapped d) archaeologists do not like the idea of incorporating science into their work e) ancient DNA is preserved only in very rare cases

Q: Years of painstaking study of fossil evidence as well as the study of molecular genetics point to the fact that modern humans originated in: a) the Middle East b) Africa c) Europe d) Asia e) a lost continent

Q: Discuss the factors that influence primate social structure. What similarities and differences can be drawn between nonhuman and human primate social structures?

Q: Homo sapiens emerged as a distinct species: a) 5 or 6 million years ago b) 1 or 2 million years ago c) over 10 million years ago d) less than 500,000 years ago e) never, we are not a distinct species

Q: Why do most biological anthropologists consider it appropriate to discuss cultural behaviors in nonhuman primates? Discuss a few examples of these behaviors.

Q: Define the terms K-selection and r-selection. Are primates K-selected or r-selected?

Q: Discuss the effects of isolation in infancy and separation from the mother on monkey behavior.

Q: Radiocarbon dating, a chronometric dating technique that revolutionized archaeology, was invented by: a) Elman Service b) Lewis Henry Morgan c) Lewis Binford d) Willard Libby e) Edward Taylor

Q: What altruistic behaviors have been observed in nonhuman primates?

Q: A very influential scheme for classifying human societies was developed by Elman Service in the 1960s. According to Service, societies could be divided into the following categories: a) moieties, tribes, kin-groups, states b) civil states, political states, and social states c) bands, tribes, chiefdoms, states d) the elite, the bourgeoisie, and the workers e) tribes, alliances, civilizations, and states

Q: Contrast autonomic responses and behaviors with intentional behaviors that serve as communication.

Q: An essential aspect of Darwin's idea of natural selection is that: a) vastly different species will all eventually coalesce to form one species b) evolution is essentially random and that no specific traits give an individual within a species an advantage c) successful individuals within a species are more likely to reproduce and pass advantageous traits onto their offspring d) offspring rarely display the successful characteristics of their parents e) none of the above

Q: Another term for the "Old Stone Age" is: a) Holocene b) Neolithic c) Anthopocene d) Paleolithic e) the Golden Age

Q: Discuss the evolutionary explanation of infanticide in Hanuman langurs.

Q: What are dominance hierarchies, and what important functions do they serve?

Q: Systematic excavation of archaeological sites began in the late 18th century when the concept of stratigraphy began to be understood. Stratigraphy is: a) another term used to describe Darwin's theory of natural selection b) the idea that processes that act on the Earth are so very different at different times that we cannot draw meaningful conclusions from superimposed layers of sediment c) the study of radiocarbon dates d) another term for tree-ring analysis e) the successive deposition of superimposed layers of natural and cultural material

Q: List and discuss four factors that affect the social structure of a given species.

Q: The development of the printing press in the mid-15th century: a) brought about an increase in literacy b) was a major step in the development of modern science c) led to an interest in knowledge derived from direct observation d) allowed books to become cheaper and more readily available e) all of the above

Q: Discuss the tenets of behavioral ecology.

Q: In Medieval Europe, enquiry about the past was focused on: a) scientific experimentation b) debate and speculation c) the finds from archaeological digging d) the results of direct observation e) all of the above

Q: Archaeology and the study of prehistory, as it stands today, comes primarily from: a) a Western tradition of scholarship b) an Eastern tradition of scholarship c) a model developed by the ancient Greeks d) a global tradition of scholarship e) a model developed by Charles Darwin

Q: Several language experiments with chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, and bonobos have shown that all great apes have the capacity to use signs and symbols to communicate. Questions, however, have been raised about this type of research.