Glossary

Ascertaining the age of an object with reference to a fixed and specific time scale (e.g. calendar years or radiocarbon years), as opposed to relative dating. [Wikipedia]

loss of a minority group’s cultural distinctiveness in relation to the dominant culture

A group of people without an official leader.

Tool industry first made by Homo erectus, characterized by teardrop-shaped stone handaxes flaked on both sides.

Increase in melanin production in response to ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure.

Refers to the time of day an animal is typically active.

A fit between the organism and environment.

A survey method in archaeology that identifies archaeological sites using imagery gathered from above (e.g. planes, satellites, drones).

A dialect of American English developed by African Americans and spoken in many African American communities today, marked by its own grammatical rules.

The idea that modern Homo sapiens evolved as a complex web of small regional populations in Africa, with sporadic gene flow among them.

the ability to make decisions and take action

An archaeological site devoted to agriculture, the systematic and controlled use of other forms of life.

The cultivation of domesticated plants and animals using technologies such as irrigation, draft animals, mechanization, and inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides that allow for intensive and continuous use of land resources.

A characteristic of culture. It means that culture involves all aspects of human life.

A genetic variant.

Due to thermal adaptation, homeothermic animals have body volume-to-surface ratios that vary inversely with the average temperature of their environment. In cold climates, the anticipated ratio is high; in warm climates, it is low.

interactions between members of distinct ethnic and cultural groups that reduce barriers between the groups over time

Organic molecules that are the building blocks of protein. Each of the 20 different amino acids have their own unique chemical property. Amino acids are chained together to form proteins.

Language changes that are modeled on common patterns from elsewhere in the language.

Place where one or more animals were killed by hunters.

belief in an impersonal supernatural force, such as mana

Religions based on the idea that plants, animals, inanimate objects, and even natural phenomena like weather have a spiritual or supernatural element

The geological time period defined by the global effects of human activities on the environment and geochemical cycles of the Earth.

The viewpoint of anthropologists, seeking to eliminate ethnocentrism, to value different cultures, and to understand those cultures from the perspective of those inside.

Anthropology is the study of what makes us human.

non-human beings that have human characteristics

the field of anthropology that focuses on the practical application of anthropological theories, methods, and findings to solve real-world problems.

a specialized subsistence activity that centers on fish and/or marine mammal hunting.

The feature of language that means there is no obvious connection between the symbol (e.g. the word 'dog' or 'perro' or 'mbwa') and what it refers to (your pet labrador).

An organism that spends most of its time in trees.

The position of an archaeological find in relation to other finds on the site, including its associations, provenience, and matrix as well as what has happened to it since it was buried or placed on the ground.

The material remains of past human activity, which includes sites, artifacts, food remains, and refuse, which form the database with which to study the human past.

The use of stratigraphy to determine the relative ages of human cultural contexts and layers containing artifacts.

the field of anthropology that relies on the excavation of artifacts and fossils to explore how environmental and historical conditions have produced a diversity of human cultures.

Groups of published, re-created, or original manuscripts, such as books, maps, drawings, notes, letters, and other papers, that are deemed significant enough to be placed in conditions designed to preserve them against damage or loss

The hypothesis that long-term aridification and expansion of savannah biomes were drivers in diversification in early hominin evolution.

Portable objects made, used, or modified by humans.

not engaging in sexual thoughts or activities.

All the artifacts and data collected from an archaeological site.

pressure placed on minority groups to adopt the customs and traditions of the dominant
culture

Current theory of modern human origins stating that the species evolved first in Africa and interbred with archaic humans of Europe and Asia.

The relationship and position of an archaeological find to other artifacts and features that are in the same archaeological level at the site.

the smallest unit of political organization, consisting of only a few families and no formal leadership positions.

Genetically mediated, non-environmentally influenced base melanin level.

Chemical bonding between nucleotides. In DNA, adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T) and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G); in RNA, adenine (A) always pairs with uracil (U).

For a broadly distributed monophyletic group, species and populations of smaller size tend to be found in environments with warmer climates and those of larger size tend to be found in ones that are colder.

Prehistoric landmass that connected Siberia and Alaska. The ancestors of Native Americans would have crossed this area to reach the Americas.

a form of temporary or situational leadership; influence results from acquiring followers.

Molar pattern of cercopithecoid monkeys in which there are usually four cusps that are arranged in a square pattern and connected by two ridges.

the field of anthropology that focuses on the earliest processes in the biological and sociocultural development of human beings as well as the biological diversity of contemporary humans. Biological anthropologists study the origins, evolution, and diversity of our species.

The approach to health and wellness in the United States and the West, where illnesses are the result of specific scientifically identifiable agents and health is the absence of disease.

Walking on two legs.

engaging in sexual thoughts or activities involving persons of one’s own sex/gender category as well as a different sex/gender category (or multiple other such categories).

A kind of language change when languages in contact take linguistic material (words, sounds, etc.) from one another.

A form of locomotion in which the organism swings below branches using the forelimbs.

Hard, calcareous sedimentary rock; encases and preserves many hominin fossils in South Africa.

a transfer of wealth from the groom’s to the bride’s family through labor, usually the contracted labor of the groom, either before or after the marriage.

the transfer of material and symbolic value from the groom’s to the bride’s family

Archaeological sites where people were buried, such as cemeteries.

An archaeological site where animals were butchered and processed.

Molecules composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms that can be broken down to supply energy.

A cycle the cell undergoes with checkpoints between phases to ensure that DNA replication and cell division occur properly.

large political units in which the chief, who usually is determined by heredity, holds a formal position of power.

the inherited office of leadership in a chiefdom, combining coercive forms of economic, political, judicial, military, and religious authority.

A DNA molecule that is wrapped around protein complexes, including histones.

gender identity constructed on the sex assigned at birth

A grouping based on ancestral relationships; a branch of the evolutionary tree.

A pattern of gradual and continuous variation in a physical trait across a geographic area

A phrase typically referring to a woodland, or tree-filled, environment.

fluted projectile points associated with the New World Clovis culture, a Paleo-American culture.

Theory that the first Paleoindians crossed to the Americas by following the southern coast of Beringia.

When one person switches between different language varieties in conversation, drawing on the social meanings associated with each variety.

the political, social, economic, and cultural domination of a territory and its people by a foreign power for an extended period of time

Archaeological sites with evidence of human commercial activity, such as stores and markets.

An intense feeling of community spirit and social solidarity, often brought on by religious ritual

The best method for doing language reconstruction, relying on the regularity of sound change.

In archaeology or paleoanthropology, information relating to where an artifact or fossil was found and what it was found in association with.

In single context excavation, a well-defined stratigraphic unit relating to a single depositional event, used as the primary unit for recording and analysis.

Evolutionary process whereby organisms that are not closely related independently evolve similar traits as a product of adaptation to similar evolutionary parameters.

A way of analyzing implicatures in conversation following the assumption that participants are acting in ways to accomplish conversational goals.

The remains of a rock that has been flaked or knapped. The rock from which a flake is removed.

an explanation for the origin, history, and nature of the world

A pidgin language that has expanded its scope and structure and acquired native speakers.

the field of anthropology devoted to describing and understanding the wide variety of human cultures. Cultural anthropologists focus on such things as social thought, action, ritual, values, and institutions.

Human activities that move material culture from its original in situ depositional location to another context.

the idea that we should seek to understand another person’s beliefs and behaviors from the perspective of their own culture and not our own.

The survey and documentation of archaeological sites that need to be recorded before they are potentially damaged or destroyed.

a set of beliefs, practices, symbols and patterns of behavior that are learned and commonly shared within a particular population of people.

a type of research in which the researcher starts with a theory, hypothesis, or generalization and then tests it through observations and data collection.

techniques for obtaining food that require an investment of work over a period of time before the food becomes available for consumption. Farming is a delayed return system due to the passage of time between planting and harvest.

An absolute dating method in archaeology that involves measuring tree rings.

The number of each type of tooth in one quadrant of the mouth, written as number of incisors: canines: premolars: molars.

A molecule that carries the hereditary information passed down from parents to offspring. DNA can be described as a “double helix”’ shape. It includes two chains of nucleotides held together by hydrogen bonds with a sugar phosphate backbone.

Physical trait of a taxon that has more recently evolved, and can be used to distinguish narrower taxonomic groupings.

Darwin’s term for what we now call “evolution,” in which animals and plants derive from but look different from their ancestors.

A subordinate variety of a language, and the common assumption is that speakers of dialects of the same language can understand one another.

A space between the teeth, usually for large canines to fit when the mouth is closed.

anthropology of the internet and internet communities, where the field site exists entirely or primarily online.

the separation of the tasks in any economic system or organization so that participants may specialize (specialization).

Enzymes that add nucleotides to existing nucleic acid strands during DNA replication. These enzymes can be distinguished by their processivity (e.g., DNA replication).

Cellular process in which DNA is copied and doubled.

The order of nucleotide bases. A DNA sequence can be short, long, or representative of entire chromosomes or organismal genomes.

Archaeological sites with the remains of human habitation

material value carried by the bride into her own marriage to provide her with symbolic leverage within her husband’s lineage

The nose and upper lip are separated and the upper lip can move independently; sometimes referred to as a “hairy” or “mobile” upper lip.

A characteristic of culture. It means that culture is constantly changing.

The earliest described archaeological period in which we start seeing stone tool technology.

artificial changes in land level, typically made from piles of artificially placed or sculpted rocks and soil.

This term is often used to refer to the Rift Valley, expanding from Malawi to Ethiopia. This active geological structure is responsible for much of the visibility of the paleoanthropological record in East Africa.

An object not modified by humans but brought to the site by past human activity, including both organic and inorganic materials.

societies in which there is no great difference in status or power between individuals and there are as many valued status positions in the societies as there are persons able to fill them.

The expansion of the brain; a biological process observed over the course of human evolution.

The process of learning cultural practices, beliefs, and symbols from other members of a culture.

a term describing expectations that individuals must marry within a particular group.

A field of anthropology that studies the reciprocal relationship between human societies and the natural world.

Proteins responsible for catalyzing (accelerating) various biochemical reactions in cells.

a sense that some trait is so profoundly deep and consequential that it creates a common identity for everyone who has that trait

A group that claims a distinct identity based on cultural characteristics and a shared ancestry that are believed to give its members a unique sense of peoplehood or heritage

the degree to which a person identifies with and feels an attachment to a particular ethnic group

the tendency to view one’s own culture as most important and correct and as the stick by which to measure all other cultures.

the emergence of new ethnicities in response to changing social circumstances

the in-depth study of the everyday practices and lives of a people.

an academic field & discipline that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them.

The comparative study of cultural ideas about wellness, illness, and healing.

the flow of people across boundaries as part of globalization

A characteristic of culture. It means that culture has both shaped, and is shaped by, the evolutionary history of our species.

When an organism, which is limited in the time and energy it can put into aspects of its biology and behavior, is shaped by natural selection to invest in one adaptation at the expense of another.

a method in archaeology of careful digging to uncover material remains while recording their context

Foods that may not be preferred by an animal (e.g., foods that are not nutritionally dense) but that are essential for survival in times of stress or scarcity.

Collections of fossils of non-human animals found at a site.

A non-portable human-made material remains such as a fire pit, hearth, storage pit, house, or structure that cannot be moved from the site.

detailed descriptions of everything the ethnographer observes and experiences.

an anthropological research method that that takes place away from the laboratory, office, or classroom.

the flow of money across boundaries as part of globalization

The piece knocked off of a stone core during the manufacture of a tool, which may be used as a stone tool.

A set of words in a language that are connected with important aspects of the culture of the speakers.

Form of B complex vitamin necessary for proper fetal development.

Having a diet consisting primarily of leaves.

projectile points associated with the Folsom tradition of North America. The points are bifacially worked and have a symmetrical, leaf-like shape with a concave base and wide, shallow grooves running almost the entire length of the point.

the cultural norms and attitudes surrounding food and eating.

a mode of subsistence defined by its reliance on wild plant and animal food resources already available in the environment rather than on domesticated species that have been altered by human intervention.

The large hole (foramen) at the base of the cranium, through which the spinal cord enters the skull.

an interview with a rigorous set of questions which does not allow one to divert from the prearranged questions.

The remains or impression of an organism from the past.

Having a diet consisting primarily of fruit.

people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions are to people of the same sex or gender; usually refers to men who are attracted to other men, but may include women who are attracted to other women.

cultural roles based on, but not determined by, the biological categories of sex

a coordinated set of ideas about gender categories, relations, behaviors, norms, and ideals.

the social phenomenon in which people are not treated equally on the basis of gender.

a person who rejects strict male and female gender categories in favor of a more flexible and contextual expression of gender

A stretch of DNA with an identifiable function (sometimes broadened to include any DNA with recognizable structural features as well).

The geographical movement of genes, due to the contact of populations.

The hypothetical summation of the entire genetic composition of a population or species.

an ethnographic method for identify all-important links of kinship determined by marriage and descent.

A trait that is useful for a wide range of tasks.

Random, short-term perturbations to the gene pool, with nonadaptive effects.

The genetic constitution of an individual organism

A large-scale drawing or image made on the ground by arranging lines of stones, scratching the earth, etc., and often only fully visible from a distance or the air.

A geographic information system (GIS) is a system that creates, manages, analyzes & maps all types of data.

The communication systems of great apes and other non-human primates, relying on sound and body language.

Refers to the wealthier countries of the world. The definition includes countries that are
sometimes called “First World” or “Highly Developed Economies”

Refers to the poorer countries of the world. The definition includes countries that are
sometimes called “Third World” or “Least Developed Economies"

The movement of people, circulation of goods, and exchange of ideas around the world.

Having a rounded appearance. Increased globularity of the braincase is a trait of modern Homo sapiens.

the adaptation of global ideas into locally palatable forms

For mammals of the same species, those with more darkly pigmented forms tend to be found closer to the equator and those with lighter forms are found in regions further from the equator.

Having a smooth and slender quality; the opposite of robust.

Australopithecine species characterized by slender, less rugged, or pronounced features.

A claw present on the second pedal digit in strepsirrhines.

A type of remote sensing that works by transmitting tiny pulses of high-frequency radio waves into the ground and recording the time it takes for those signals to reflect off objects or contrasting layers in the soil and return to the antenna.

Archaeological survey that involves systematically walking over and physically exploring the area to be studied.

Having a diet consisting primarily of gums and saps.

A general term for any area that has evidence of a domestic activity, such as food preparation.

the embodied dispositions that arise from one’s enculturation in a specific social setting

people changing their behavior because they know they are being watched as part of a study

A protein that breaks the hydrogen bonds that hold double-stranded DNA together.

An organism having different types of teeth

Trends associated with globalization that aid in the maintenance of cultural differences

the notion that heterosexuality is the most natural and normal form of sexuality

engaging in sexual thoughts or activities involving persons of a different sex/gender category.

A system of grouping organisms according to a hierarchy, or levels.

The study of how languages change and the cultural and historical implications of those changes.

how the elements of human life are bound together to form distinctive cultures.

The epoch of the Cenozoic Era starting around 12,000 years ago and lasting arguably through the present.

A single specimen from which a species or taxon is described or named.

Modern humans and any extinct relatives more closely related to us than to chimpanzees.

Cultures becoming more similar through globalization

The study of physical correspondences among diverse kinds of creatures; necessary for creating taxonomies

A construction that camouflages the hunter and allows the animal to come into view.

a socially constructed racial classification system in which a person of mixed racial heritage is automatically categorized as a member of the less (or least) privileged group

Theory that the first prehistoric Native Americans crossed to the Americas through a passage between glaciers.

the flow of ideas across boundaries as part of globalization

the food acquired can be immediately consumed. Foraging is an immediate return system.

The phase of archaeological research where archaeologists procure funds, sort logistics, and obtain permits and permissions for their research.

A meaning suggested by a word or sentence, based on the context in which it is uttered.

When an archaeological find is left in the original place that it was found.

a cultural norm that prohibits sexual relations among close kin; what counts as 'close' is culturally defined however.

a method of developing theories or generalizations based on specific observations or data.

Archaeological sites with evidence of industrial activity by humans

the informant’s agreement to take part in the study

The idea that you pass on the features that developed during your lifetime, not just your genes; also known as Lamarckian inheritance.

Having a diet consisting primarily of insects.

a committee that applies research ethics by reviewing the methods proposed for research to ensure that they are ethical.

A form of dwarfism that occurs when a limited geographic region, such as an island, causes a large-bodied animal to be selected for a smaller body size.

A characteristic of culture. It means that the different aspects of culture shape and influence one another, and cannot be studied in isolation.

A field dedicated to improving the lives of people world-wide, by making interventions in health, education, the economy and more.

A characteristic of culture. It means that while we are biological beings with natural needs, culture satisfies those needs in particular ways, and so can impact our biology, growth, and development.

the recognition that gender, race, class, ethnicity, age, sexuality, and physical ability all intersect to make the experiences of a person in any category diverse and complex

A person born with differences in sex characteristics or chromosomes that do not fall within typical conceptions of male or female.

The uneven mixing of DNA over time in which a small amount of outside genetic material is incorporated into a larger genome.

the supply of water to land or crops to help growth, typically by means of channels.

Modified seat bones of the pelvis that are flattened and over which calluses form; function as seat pads for sitting and resting atop branches.

a term used to describe laws passed by state and local governments in the United States during the early twentieth century to enforce racial segregation of public and private places

individuals who are more knowledgeable about their culture than others and who are particularly helpful to the anthropologist.

The fracturing of rocks for the manufacture of tools.

A form of quadrupedal movement used by gorillas and chimpanzees when on the ground, wherein the front limbs are supported on the knuckles of the hands.

Genetic mutation permitting the continued production of lactase-phlorizin hydrolase enzyme in the small intestine past the weaning period.

The idealized “standard” of a variety of speech with a name, usually considered to be incomprehensible to speakers of a different language.

When a language does not have any living speakers.

When a language is deemed to be at risk of losing its speakers and experiencing language death.

The form of communication (e.g. spoken, signed) used by a language and its speakers.

The agency of communities to preserve and (re)integrate their heritage languages into their cultural practices, even if they also speak other languages.

The process where historical linguists determine the features (phonology, morphology, lexicon, etc.) of a language from the past

Efforts to reverse declining numbers of speakers of endangered languages or to revive "extinct" languages.

When a community stops using one language and moves to use another language as its native language.

A tool that is shaped to have functional edges.

Time period following the Middle Stone Age with a diversification in tool types, starting around 50,000 years ago.

states that in stratigraphic sequences, the oldest strata will lie at the bottom of the sequence, while newer material stacks upon the surface to form new deposits over time.

A characteristic of culture. It means that cultural behaviors are not genetically inherited from generation to generation but must be passed down from older members of a society to new members.

a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women.

The vocabulary of a language

a detection system which works on the principle of radar, but uses light from a laser.

a personal narrative of someone’s life

a personal narrative of someone’s life

The creative and reflexive ways in which individuals perform their various social identities.

the field of anthropology that explores the central role of language in human cultural life. Linguistic anthropologists study the origins of language, how language shapes thought, and how language operates as a tool of power.

Discrimination faced by individuals on account of their speaking a racially or ethnically associated language or dialect.

The idea that the language one speaks will influence the way they see the world and how they behave.

Aspects of human language common to all languages and based upon our biological and cognitive capacities for language.

The study of human language

Fatty acid molecules that serve various purposes in the cell, including energy storage, cell signaling, and structure.

stone artifacts that have been purposefully modified, or worked, by human hands.

a type of borrowing where a language takes a word from another language and makes it part of its own vocabulary

How an organism moves around.

practices intended to bring supernatural forces under one’s personal control

An object brought to the site by humans but not modified by them.

an American cultural anthropologist and writer.

the formation of a new, socially sanctioned family as it is defined across cultures and societies.

the transfer of some form of wealth from one family to another to legitimize the marriage as a creation of a new social and economic household

Objects produced or modified by humans such as tools, art, buildings, clothing, etc.

a society ruled by senior women

The natural materials such as sediments surrounding and enclosing the object in place.

In a conversation, be as clear, brief, and as orderly as possible when you make your contributions

In a conversation, you say what you believe to be true, and only say what you have sufficient evidence for.

In a conversation, don’t be more informative than is needed by the purpose of the conversation, and don’t be less informative than is needed by the purpose of the conversation.

In a conversation, speakers should make their contributions to the conversation relevant to what is being discussed.

the flow of media across boundaries as part of globalization

An anthropological subfield that studies human health and health care in comparative perspective.

Large ancient animals that may have been hunted to extinction by people around the world.

The things you know, consciously or unconsciously, when you know a language.

RNA molecule that is transcribed from DNA. Its tri-nucleotide codons are “read” by a ribosome to build a protein.

Small stone tool found in the Later Stone Age; also called a bladelet.

Time period known for Mousterian-style lithics, and which connects African archaic to modern Homo sapiens temporally.

Archaeological sites where armed conflict occurred or where there was a military occupation

Two words differing in only one sound, thereby showing that the two sounds that differ carry meaning in the language.

the ways that goods and services are exchanged in different cultures.

the social relations through which human labor is used to transform energy from nature using tools, skills, organization, and knowledge.

the techniques used by the members of a society to obtain food. Anthropologists classify subsistence into four broad categories: foraging, pastoralism, horticulture, and agriculture.

The study of the evolutionary relationships between groups of organisms using genetic evidence.

the socially sanctioned union of two adults

The idea that all people share a common single origin.

religions that recognize a single supreme God

The study of the pieces of meaning within a given language. For many languages (but not all!), how words are put together.

Composed from a mix or composite of traits.

The concept that evolutionary change does not occur homogeneously throughout the body in organisms.

Stone tools made and used by Neanderthals. These tools were made using the prepared-core technique, were of high quality, and were saved and reused.

uses traditional methodology in various locations both spatially and temporally.

maintenance (and frequently celebration) of multiple cultural traditions in a single society

The use of more than one language among members of a community.

a gender system that goes beyond male and female

Theory that modern Homo sapiens evolved simultaneously in Africa, Asia, and Europe from archaic populations.

An alteration to the base sequence of DNA.

A 1966 law that ensures that federal agencies identify and take actions to protect and preserve historic sites and archaeological locations in the United States.

A 1990 law that gives legal protection to Native America gravesites and grave goods, and enables them to pursue repatriation of human remains and cultural property previously collected from such sites.

Natural events that move material culture from its original in situ depositional location to another context.

A consistent bias in survival and fertility, leading to the over-representation of certain features in future generations and an improved fit between an average member of the population and the environment.

A natural cavity enclosed by one or more rock walls and an overhang that provides protection from the elements.

the ideology of free-market capitalism emphasizing privatization and unregulated markets

a period of rapid innovation in subsistence technologies that began 10,000 years ago and led to the emergence of agriculture. Neolithic means “new stone age,” a name referring to the stone tools produced during this time period.

Describes populations that move through the landscape without a singular home.

An archaeological technique where artifacts are not disturbed when collecting information.

So-called "racial" traits are inherited independently rather than as a package, so they produce different classification boundaries

A characteristic of culture. It means that individuals can choose to conform to cultural norms and expectations, or to challenge them.

Complex structures (like DNA or RNA) that carry genetic information about a living organism.

Where the primary form of locomotion for an organism is bipedal, and other forms of locomotion are difficult and inefficient.

A natural clay pigment mixed with ferric oxide and clay and sand. Ranges in color from brown to red to orange. Found in Neanderthal burials.

Lower Paleolithic, the earliest stone tool culture.

The idea in the United States that any non-white ancestry prevented a person from being classified as "white"

An archaeological site that is open to the elements.

Having thumbs and/or toes that go in a different direction from the rest of the fingers and/or toes, allows for grasping with hands and feet.

The face below the eyes is relatively flat and does not jut out anteriorly.

Theory that modern Homo sapiens expanded from Africa to cover the rest of the world by replacing and without interacting with archaic humans.

Researchers that study human evolution.

An environment from a period in the Earth’s geological past.

engaging in sexual thoughts or activities with others without regard to biological sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

a type of observation in which the anthropologist observes while participating in the same activities in which her informants are engaged.

a type of observation in which the anthropologist observes while participating in the same activities in which her informants are engaged.

a subsistence system in which people raise herds of domesticated livestock.

a widespread gender ideology that positions men as rulers of private and public life

people whose subsistence pattern involves diversified hunting and gathering on foot.

Having five digits (fingers and toes)

an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art.

The observable manifestation of a genetic constitution, expressed in a particular set of circumstances; an organism's physical appearance.

The use of specific sounds or signs to encode messages within a given language.

a pictorial symbol for a word or phrase.

A contact language that develops in intense contact scenarios among speakers who have no language in common.

a society characterized by a strong correlation between a person’s skin color and their social class

Geological epoch dating from 2.6 million years ago to about 11,000 years ago. When the Homo genus evolved.

the marriage of one woman to more than one man

the socially sanctioned union of more than two adults at the same time

The idea that different peoples are fundamentally different, with different origins, and have always been so.

the marriage of one man to more than one woman

A system in which individuals of a species vary in their abilities to see color. In primates, it refers to males being dichromatic and females being either trichromatic or dichromatic.

religions that recognize several gods

The skeleton below the head.

the social rules that determine where a newly married couple will reside following marriage

A bony ring that surrounds the eye socket, open at the back; this is a derived trait of all primates.

A radiometric dating method based on measurement of the product of the radioactive decay of an isotope of potassium (K) into argon (Ar).

a gift-giving feast practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States,[1] among whom it is traditionally the primary governmental institution, legislative body, and economic system.

The study of how context effects meaning within a language.

A tail that is able to hold the full body weight of an organism, which often has a tactile pad on the underside of the tip for improved grip.

full-time religious practitioners

Physical trait that a taxon has because it has inherited the trait from a distant ancestor.

An archaeological site where humans prepared plants or animals for consumption.

The fact that each language could creatively produce an infinite number of new words and sentences (even if they don't actually do so).

objects or ideas that are ordinary and can be disregarded

In reference to the face, the area below the eyes juts anteriorly.

a person who claims to have direct communication with the supernatural realm and who can communicate divine messages to others

A multi-step process by which amino acids are strung together by RNA machinery read from a DNA template.

Chains of amino acids that fold into a three-dimensional structure that allow a cell to function in a variety of ways.

Detailed, specific information about where artifacts or human remains were found.

The location, horizontally and vertically, that the archaeological find was positioned on the site. Sometimes referred to as provenance.

Moving around on all fours.

information that is descriptive in nature, expressed in terms of language rather than numerical values.

a type of research that aims to gather and analyze non-numerical (descriptive) data in order to gain an understanding of individuals' social reality, including understanding their attitudes, beliefs, and motivation.

any information that can be quantified, counted or measured, and given a numerical value.

a research strategy that focuses on quantifying the collection and analysis of data.

originally a pejorative term in American culture for people who did not conform to the rigid norms of heterosexuality; now used as a term of pride among many members of the LGBTQIA+ community to highlight the fluid, constantly changing, and contextual nature of gender and sexuality

a subfield of anthropology that focuses on areas of sociocultural activity distinguished from the presumed norms of heterosexuality and gender identities

a way of classifying humans incorrectly assumed to have a basis in biology, rather than historical and cultural circumstance

the process of defining and redefining racial categories in a society

An absolute dating technique used to determine the age of organic materials less than 50,000 years old. Age is determined by examining the loss of the unstable carbon-14 isotope, which is absorbed by all living organisms during their lifespan. The rate of decay of this unstable isotope after the organism has died is assumed to be constant, and is measured in half-lives of 5730 + 40 years, meaning that the amount of carbon-14 is reduced to half the amount after about 5730 years. Dates generated by radiocarbon dating have to be calibrated using dates derived from other absolute dating methods, such as dendrochronology and ice cores. [Wikipedia]

societies in which there are substantial differences in the wealth and social status of individuals; there are a limited number of positions of power or status, and only a few can occupy them.

A variety of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular situation.

To make an abstract (often inaccurate) concept more concrete or real through promotion and circulation of that idea.

the idea that a living being can begin another life in a new body after death

A method of dating that places objects or events in the order in which they occurred and establishes if something is younger or older than other things at a site.

the means by which human society and culture is extended to include the nonhuman

The ability to collect information about places or objects at or under the surface of the ground, usually without having to disturb the ground.

process of restoring human remains and/or objects of religious or cultural importance to the peoples from whom they originated.

a systematic plan to execute the research.

ambitious rituals to resolve serious problems, such as war, famine, or poverty through a spiritual or supernatural intervention

Single-stranded nucleic acid molecule. There are different RNAs found within cells and they perform a variety of functions, such as cell signaling and involvement in protein synthesis.

An organelle in the cell found in the cytoplasm or endoplasmic reticulum. It is responsible for reading mRNA and protein assemblage.

a ritual designed to bring a community together, often following a period of crisis

a ritual designed to transition individuals between life stages

practices or ceremonies that serve a religious purpose and are usually supervised by religious specialists

Australopithecine species with rugged or exaggerated features, especially related to teeth and the masticatory system (i.e. chewing).

human-made markings placed on natural surfaces.

objects or ideas that are set apart from the ordinary and treated with great respect

A bony ridge along the top/middle of the skull, used for attachment of chewing muscles.

a 19th century American physician and anthropologist known for founding the field of craniometry and for his scientifically racist theories.

an idea that proposes a tentative explanation about a phenomenon or a narrow set of phenomena observed in the natural world.

A process by which scientists ask questions, collect data, test hypotheses, and gain knowledge about the natural world.

The study of the meaning of words and phrases within a language.

an interview where questions are prepared ahead of time but also left open to going in new directions, allowing new ideas to be brought up during the interview as a result of what the interviewee says.

a form of monogamy in which adults have a series of two-person monogamous marriages over a lifetime

a relative dating method in which artifacts are placed in chronological order once they are determined to be of the same culture

the biological categories of male and female (and potentially other biological categories) based on genetics and anatomical features.

The size difference between males and females of any species

sociocultural identities associated with specific forms of sexuality

erotic thoughts, desires, and practices and the sociocultural identities associated with them

a part-time religious practitioner

A characteristic of culture. It means that people have culture as part of a group that understands the meanings ascribed to things and actions within that culture.

a form of agriculture in which an area of ground is cleared of vegetation and cultivated for a few years and then abandoned for a new area until its fertility has been naturally restored.

Small excavations used during archaeological survey and reconnaissance used to identify buried sites and their material culture.

A group of genetically inherited blood disorders characterized by an abnormality in the shape of the hemoglobin within erythrocytes (red blood cells).

A spatial cluster of archaeological evidence of human activity such as objects, features, and ecofacts.

relating to or denoting a method of agriculture in which existing vegetation is cut down and burned off before new seeds are sown, typically used as a method for clearing forest land for farming.

Elements of culture that restrict individuals' behavior to maintain social norms; the exercise of power

The study of the relationship between language and social factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, class, age, etc.

individuals who seek to use magic for their own purposes

Changes in the pronunciation of a language.

Archaeological reconnaissance done using satellite imagery.

Archaeological site where a specific type of human activity took place, such as churches, hospitals, or schools.

A trait that has been developed for a specific purpose.

The process by which mature mRNAs are produced during protein synthesis. Introns are removed (spliced) and exons are joined together.

A multilingual situation where two or more variants are present, but none is replacing the others

The variant of a language given special prestige because of its association with the people with the most power and wealth in a society.

An official at the state level in charge of the protection and preservation of historic sites within that state.

the most complex form of political organization characterized by a central government that has a monopoly over legitimate uses of physical force, a sizeable bureaucracy, a system of formal laws, and a standing military force.

An archaeological site where food is stored for extended periods of time.

societies in which there are large differences in the wealth, status, and power of individuals based on unequal access to resources and positions of power.

the study of layers of soil; and important part of archaeological excavation.

A language change where a language takes an aspect of phonology, morphology, or syntax from another language and incorporates it into its own grammar.

the set of skills, practices, and technologies used by members of a society to acquire and distribute food.

Tools that allow archaeologists to conduct reconnaissance below the surface of the ground without excavating.

a realm beyond direct human experience

A characteristic of culture. It means that people within a culture create, interpret and share meanings for things within that culture.

the combination of different beliefs, even those that are seemingly contradictory, into a
new, harmonious whole

The study of how to show the relationship between words and construct meaningful sentences within a language.

Explains the evolution of life in terms of genetic changes occurring in the population that leads to the formation of new species.

Sensitive skin at the fingertips for sense of touch. Animals with a prehensile tail have a tactile pad on the underside of the tail as well.

Reflecting layer at the back of the eye that magnifies light.

The study of the fate of the remains of organisms after they die, especially the study of fossilization.

Plural for taxon; a taxonomic group of any rank, such as species, family, or class.

How groups of species are organized and classified based on how they look and how they are related to each other.

A term encompassing multiple assemblages that share similar traits in terms of artifact production and morphology.

the flow of technology across boundaries as part of globalization

method of growing crops on sides of hills or mountains by planting on graduated terraces built into the slope.

An organism that spends most of its time on the ground.

The idea that women (especially in Western culture) are socialized to use both standard language as well as powerless and tentative language

analytical tools for understanding, explaining, and making predictions about a given subject matter.

Maintaining body temperature through physiologically cooling or warming the body.

Sets of material culture, such as pottery or lithics, stored in museums separately from manuscript collections.

A trait of the front, lower teeth of strepsirrhines in which, typically, the four incisors and canines are long and thin and protrude outward. Also known as dental comb.

a person who transitions from a gender category ascribed at birth to a chosen gender identity

A tribal official in charge of the protection and preservation of historic sites on tribal lands.

political units organized around family ties that have fluid or shifting systems of temporary leadership.

Being able to distinguish yellows and reds in addition to blues and greens; this is a trait shared by many primates.

a term coined by Native American LGBT people to refer to individuals with both male and female spirits, referencing the history of variant gender individuals in Native American cultures.

An archaeological method that compares created objects to other objects of similar appearance with the goal of determining how they are related

Classification of objects according to their physical characteristics such as shape, form, and use.

a non-directive interview where questions are not prearranged and the conversation is spontaneous.

A radiometric dating technique which compares isotopes of uranium.

anthropology that describes experiences of living in cities and the relationships of city life to broader social, political, and economic contexts.

a category of gender other than male or female.

Non-standard varieties of a language, usually distinguished by their use of stigmatized grammatical forms.

A locomotor pattern in which animals are oriented upright while clinging to vertical branches, push off with hind legs, and land oriented upright on another vertical branch.

The rapid change in global climate, especially a cooling of the Northern Hemisphere, 13,000 years ago.

A type of infectious disease naturally transmitted between animals and humans.