key term - Secondary Context

Definition

Secondary context refers to the conditions and circumstances under which archaeological materials are found after they have been displaced from their original position. This context often occurs due to natural processes like erosion or human activities such as construction, leading to a change in the artifacts' association with their primary archaeological context. Understanding secondary context is crucial because it can influence the interpretation of the data collected during excavation, highlighting the importance of recognizing how artifacts relate to each other and their original settings.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Secondary context can result from natural processes like soil erosion, flooding, or animal activity that displaces artifacts from their original locations.
2. Human activities such as construction, farming, and urban development can also create secondary contexts by disturbing archaeological sites and moving artifacts.
3. Artifacts found in secondary context may not accurately represent the original use or meaning intended by the people who created them, complicating interpretations.
4. Recognizing secondary contexts is essential for archaeologists when analyzing site formation processes to avoid misinterpretations of data.
5. Excavation strategies must account for potential secondary contexts to ensure a more accurate understanding of artifact associations and historical significance.

Review Questions

• How does understanding secondary context impact the interpretation of artifacts during excavation?
  • Understanding secondary context is vital because it affects how archaeologists interpret the relationships between artifacts. When artifacts are found outside their primary context, it can lead to incorrect assumptions about their use or significance. By recognizing secondary contexts, archaeologists can better analyze site formation processes and understand how past human behaviors might have altered the original settings of these items.
• Discuss how secondary context can complicate archaeological findings and what strategies can be employed to mitigate these challenges.
  • Secondary context can complicate archaeological findings by obscuring the original relationships between artifacts, leading to potential misinterpretation of cultural practices. To mitigate these challenges, archaeologists can use meticulous excavation techniques that document stratigraphy and artifact associations. Employing detailed mapping and recording methods helps distinguish between primary and secondary contexts, allowing for a clearer reconstruction of past human activities despite any disturbances.
• Evaluate the implications of secondary context on our understanding of cultural continuity and change in archaeological studies.
  • Secondary context has significant implications for understanding cultural continuity and change in archaeological studies. When artifacts are displaced from their primary contexts, it becomes challenging to trace their historical significance accurately. This can obscure patterns of cultural practices over time or misrepresent shifts in social behaviors. Therefore, evaluating secondary contexts allows archaeologists to develop more nuanced narratives about human history while acknowledging how various factors have influenced artifact deposition and meaning.

Related terms

Primary Context: Primary context is the original location and condition of artifacts as they were left by past human activity, providing essential information about how these items were used.

Provenience: Provenience refers to the exact location where an artifact is found within an archaeological site, which is key to understanding its relationship with other findings.

Stratigraphy:

Stratigraphy is the study of rock layers (strata) and layering, particularly important in archaeology for understanding the sequence of events and deposition that affect artifacts.