Response to Questions

What are the main types of sources?

1. The main types of sources in archaeology are: Written and archaeological.                 

• Written sources could be be official documents, library texts, and private documents. (written documents)
•   Archaeological sourcescould be artifacts, built structures and original remains. (physical remains)

Primary sources – Original documents with no interpretation, evaluation or analysis                                                      Secondary sources – Sources that interpret, evaluate, or analyze a primary source.                                                        Tertiary sources– Sources that compile, summarize, digest, or index secondary sources

2. What types of questions need to be asked of archaeological sources?

What is it, in what context was it found, can it be accuratly dated, how does it’s condition effect it’s interpretation, is it reliable?

3. Do these questions differ from the questions asked of written sources? Why?

no becasue you still need to question wher it was found, why it was there, the reason it was there, if it was real, its use, what it means, and its it purpose.

4. What is meant by the saying that ‘historical writings reveal more about the author than the events or personalities being related’?

5. Go online and find one example of an ancient written source and one ancient archaeological source. Anaylse each one (hint: aske those questions!)

WRITTEN SOURCE

The Rosetta stone.

• The Rosetta Stone is written in three scripts because when it was written, there were three scripts being used in Egypt.
• The first was hieroglyphic which was the script used for important or religious documents.
• The second was demotic which was the common script of Egypt.
• The third was Greek which was the language of the rulers of Egypt at that time.
• The Rosetta Stone was written in all three scripts so that the priests, government officials and rulers of Egypt could read what it said.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The Rosetta Stone was found in a small village in the Delta called Rosetta in 1799.

ANCIENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCE

pyramid of Giza.

The pyramid of Giza was dicovered

~ by jabourjoseph on February 25, 2008.