Feature

Definition

In archaeology, a feature is a non-portable artifact or modification made to the environment that provides insight into past human behavior and activities. Features include structures like walls, pits, and postholes, which cannot be moved without altering their context, making them essential for understanding settlement patterns and social organization.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Features can provide information about the spatial organization of a site, revealing how people interacted with their environment.
2. Unlike artifacts, features are often more difficult to analyze because they require careful excavation to preserve their integrity.
3. Common types of features include hearths, storage pits, and building foundations, each telling a different story about past human activities.
4. Excavating features involves meticulous recording of their size, shape, and contents to gather data for analysis.
5. Understanding features is crucial for reconstructing the daily lives and social structures of ancient communities.

Review Questions

• How do features differ from artifacts in archaeological studies?
  • Features differ from artifacts in that they are non-portable elements of the archaeological record, such as structures or modifications to the landscape that cannot be moved without losing their contextual information. Artifacts, on the other hand, are portable objects created or used by humans. The distinction is important because features often provide deeper insights into settlement patterns and social dynamics that artifacts alone may not reveal.
• Discuss the role of features in interpreting the spatial organization of archaeological sites.
  • Features play a critical role in understanding the spatial organization of archaeological sites by illustrating how ancient peoples utilized their environment. For instance, the arrangement of features such as hearths and storage pits can indicate areas designated for cooking or food storage, helping researchers infer social behaviors related to food preparation and consumption. Analyzing these spatial relationships allows archaeologists to reconstruct the layout of settlements and deduce patterns of daily life.
• Evaluate how the study of features contributes to our understanding of past human societies and their environments.
  • The study of features significantly enhances our understanding of past human societies by revealing how they adapted to and modified their environments. By examining features like buildings, storage areas, or agricultural plots, researchers can infer social organization, economic practices, and cultural values. This comprehensive approach allows archaeologists to connect specific features with broader societal trends, ultimately shedding light on how different groups interacted with one another and their surroundings over time.

Related terms

Artifact: An object made or used by humans that can be easily removed from its context, such as tools or pottery.

Site: A specific location where evidence of past human activity is preserved and studied, often containing both features and artifacts.

Context: The relationship between an archaeological find and its surroundings, which helps determine its significance and meaning.