Principles of Prehistoric Archaeology | Anthropology Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Introduction 

Prehistoric archaeology is defined as the study of the existence of human civilization before the keeping of historical records began. It is a branch of study in which the past is studied before establishing urban and metropolitan human dynamics. Studying prehistoric archaeology shows how humans existed before economics and politics took over.
Prehistoric and historical studies are used together, but there is a difference between the two terms. On the one hand, historical archaeology is defined as studying the past based on the records maintained for such events. But on the other hand, prehistoric archaeology refers to the study of human civilization before writing came into the picture.
Principles of Prehistoric Archaeology

In studying the principles of prehistoric archaeology and its types, chronology plays a very important role. Chronology has been fundamental to prehistoric archaeology.
Chronology refers to the recording of certain events in order of as they have occurred or taken place. Chronology is an important aspect to consider while studying principles of prehistoric archaeology because a major part of prehistoric and historic archaeology relies on the accurate date and time of events to be studied.
Dating Methods in Archaeology

Archaeologists refer to many dating methods to draw the relevance and age of a particular site or a part of a site. The two main types of dating methods are relative and absolute dating methods. 

• Relative Dating Methods 

Relative dating methods help understand whether an event under study is older than other related or similar events that occurred. Relative dating methods contribute to establishing a sequence in the happening of these events due to the implicit similarity. Relative dating does not offer accurate dates or periods in numbers in which events had occurred. It is challenging to know the exact time between intervals of these events. It helps to know whether one artefact is older than the other.
Principles of prehistoric archaeology are:

• Uniformitarianism 
• Cross-Cutting Relationships 
• Original Horizontality
• Intrusive Relationships

Types of relative dating methods are as follows:
1. Stratigraphy  This method works on the basic assumption that some layers of soil on the earth are newer than some more profound layers of soil. Stratigraphy is a method that allows archaeologists to establish a timely sequence of shreds of evidence found in study-related regions by observing those bottom to top layers of soil. The law of superposition states that the oldest layers of soil are situated at the bottom of the earth.

2. Fluorine Dating  It is a method that studies the amount of chemical fluoride that has been absorbed by bones of specimens lying underground within the soil. 

3. Seriation is defined as the method of relative dating in which specimens and artefacts are studied and analysed based on their ability to change their style and uniqueness to form a relative sequence. 

• Absolute Dating Methods

Absolute dating methods involve giving an exact date or time to how old or new an artefact is historical. This method works in actual numbers, unlike relative dating methods. Absolute dating methods base their techniques on the characteristics that an artefact or specimen has to offer. The studied aspects are the chemical and physical properties of the particular specimen. Absolute dating methods aim at determining the age of an artefact or specimen. Absolute dating has many kinds. Some of these are:
1. Radiocarbon Dating This method is also called C-14 dating. It is one of the most used techniques under absolute dating. Radiocarbon dating consists of measuring and analysing the amount of decay of the isotope C-14 in any organic specimen. Some subjects of C-14 dating can be dead remains of human beings, animals, other living organisms, plants, etc.
2. Thermoluminescence  This method involves determining the age of specimens having crystalline materials. The age of pottery artefacts can be determined through this technique. 

3. Dendrochronology This technique studies kinds of woods to create timely sequences. It’s also referred to as Tree-Ring Dating.

4. Potassium-Argon and Argon  These methods study the level of argon gas contained in igneous volcanic rocks to calculate how much time has passed since the rock has solidified. 

5. Archaeomagnetic Dating  Magnetic characteristics of various rocks and layers are studied under this method to analyse the changes occurring inside and around them, such as shifts in their substance. 

6. Fission-Track Dating  Fission track dating calculates the age of minerals by analyzing damage done by uranium-238. It also involves studying and tracking the age of glass materials. 

7. Amino Acid Dating  Hare and Mitterer discovered it in 1967. This technique studies changes in the molecules of amino acids present in specimens. This dating method is widely used in archaeology, forensic science, sedimentary geology, molecular palaeontology, etc. 

Conclusion 

Prehistoric archaeology is the study of human civilization and nature before writing or the maintenance of records. Principles of prehistoric archaeology also exist. There is mainly one difference between prehistoric and historic archaeology. While historical archaeology studies the past based on the shreds of evidence written and maintained, prehistoric archaeology involves observing, analysing, and analysing pieces of evidence and remains formed in a sequential timeline through chronological dating methods. Chronology is defined as the recording of events as they have occurred. There are mainly two types of dating methods available to archaeologists. One is called Relative dating, and the other is called the Absolute dating method.