A corner notch is a specific type of projectile point or stone tool hafting style in lithic technology, defined by notches placed at the corners of the artifact’s base. These notches allow the point to be securely attached (hafted) to a shaft or handle. 🌍 Definition Corner Notch: A projectile point or tool with notches…

A core tool is a type of prehistoric stone tool made directly from a core (the central mass of raw material, usually flint, chert, or obsidian) rather than from flakes struck off the core. These tools represent some of the earliest and most fundamental implements in human technological history. 🌍 Definition Core Tool: A stone…

Core area is a concept used in geography, ecology, anthropology, and archaeology to describe the central, most significant zone of a region, settlement, or system. It often represents the nucleus of activity, power, or preservation. 🌍 Definition Core Area: The central zone of a landscape, settlement, or ecological system that holds primary importance—whether culturally, politically,…

The term core has multiple meanings across disciplines—archaeology, geology, anthropology, and materials science. At its root, it refers to the central or essential part of something, but in technical contexts it carries more precise definitions. 🌍 General Definition Core: The innermost, central, or most fundamental part of an object, structure, or concept. Scope: Used in…

Coprolites are fossilized feces—preserved remains of animal or human excrement that have undergone mineralization over time. They are a unique type of trace fossil, providing direct evidence of diet, digestion, and ecological interactions in the past. 🌍 Definition Coprolite: From the Greek kopros (“dung”) + lithos (“stone”), meaning “dung stone.” Nature: Fossilized excrement, often replaced…

Convex is a term used in mathematics, geometry, physics, and even anthropology/archaeology (when describing shapes of artifacts or structures). It refers to a surface or shape that curves outward, with no internal angle greater than 180°. 🌍 Definition Convex (Geometry): A shape is convex if, for any two points inside it, the line segment connecting…

Conversion is a broad term with multiple meanings across disciplines—ranging from religion and anthropology to science, economics, and technology. At its core, it refers to a process of change or transformation from one state, belief, or form into another. 🌍 General Definition Conversion: The act or process of changing something into a different form, system,…

Convergence is a versatile concept used across disciplines—anthropology, archaeology, evolutionary biology, and cultural studies—to describe different systems, species, or cultures developing similar traits, practices, or outcomes independently. 🌍 Definition Convergence (General): The process by which distinct entities evolve or develop toward similar forms, functions, or solutions. Core Idea: Similar pressures (environmental, social, or technological) can…

Convection is the process of heat transfer in fluids (liquids or gases) through the actual movement of the fluid itself, where warmer, less dense regions rise and cooler, denser regions sink, creating circulation patterns. 🌍 Definition Convection: The transfer of heat by the bulk movement of molecules within fluids (air, water, magma). Mechanism: Heating causes…

Controlled comparison is a methodological approach in anthropology, archaeology, and the social sciences that involves systematically comparing a small number of societies, cultures, or cases under carefully selected and limited variables. It is designed to highlight similarities and differences while minimizing confounding factors. 🌍 Definition Controlled Comparison: A comparative method that restricts the scope of…

In anthropology, archaeology, and the social sciences, the term control is used in several overlapping ways, depending on whether we’re talking about research methods, cultural systems, or environmental management. 🌍 Definition Control (General): The ability to regulate, direct, or influence processes, behaviors, or outcomes. In Research: A methodological tool to isolate variables and ensure reliable…

The term contracting has several meanings depending on the discipline, but in anthropology, archaeology, and related applied fields it usually refers to working under a formal agreement or contract to provide services, often in heritage management or development contexts. 🌍 General Definition Contracting: Entering into a legally binding agreement to perform specific work or services…