Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (493 page)

A sacred conical or spherical stone symbolically representing the navel of the earth. Found in Mycenaean contexts in Greece, as at Delphi.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Ceramic vessels with a prominent hollow dome raised into the base of the pot.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Egyptian god, see
OSIRIS
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Egyptian god, warrior god shown wearing high plumes and drawing a sword. Worshipped particularly at Abydos and Sebennytos.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

A branch of philosophy concerned with what exists, its nature, character, and meaning. Much Anglo-American archaeological thought in the late 20th century focused on
EPISTEMOLOGY
and methodology, but since the early 1990s some archaeologists have turned to consider instead the very character of archaeological materials. Such archaeological ontology considers the character of material culture and social practice, and asks what archaeologists are really attempting to interpret or explain.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

The examination of archaeological sites using large trenches, typically more than 10m by 10m but in some cases extending to several hectares, with no predefined baulks or sections. In rural situations the topsoil or overburden is usually sampled and then machine-stripped to reveal areas of natural bedrock containing discrete or intercutting features and deposits. These are excavated. In deeply stratified urban areas the overburden is removed and excavation begins at the highest definable stratigraphic unit. In Britain open area excavation is closely linked with the use of single context recording.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search