Archaeomagnetic dating in anthropology is a chronometric (absolute) dating method that uses the record of Earth’s magnetic field preserved in archaeological materials to determine when they were last heated or deposited. It is especially useful for dating sites within the last 10,000 years. 🌍 Definition Archaeomagnetic Dating: A technique that measures the orientation of magnetic…

The “archaeology of cult” in anthropology and archaeology refers to the study of material evidence for religious and ritual practices in past societies. It focuses on how worship, offerings, sacred spaces, and symbolic artifacts can be identified archaeologically, even when written records are absent. 🌍 Definition Archaeology of Cult: A framework for interpreting ritual and…

Archaeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture, including artifacts, architecture, ecofacts, and cultural landscapes. It is both a social science and a branch of the humanities, and in North America it is considered one of the four subfields of anthropology. 🌍 Definition Archaeology: From Greek archaios (“ancient”)…

An archaeologist is a scientist who studies past human life and cultures through material remains such as artifacts, architecture, and landscapes. In anthropology, archaeology is one of the four main subfields, and archaeologists are the practitioners who uncover, analyze, and interpret evidence of human activity across time. 🌍 Definition Archaeologist: A researcher who investigates human…

In anthropology, an archaeological culture is a recurring set of material remains—artifacts, architecture, burial practices—that are consistently found together in a specific time and place, interpreted as reflecting the practices of a past human community. It is a key concept in archaeology for organizing and comparing prehistoric societies. 🌍 Definition Archaeological Culture: A construct used…

In anthropology, “arbitrary level” usually refers to a methodological concept in excavation and stratigraphy, not a cultural theory. It describes how archaeologists divide soil layers into artificial units when natural stratigraphy is unclear. 🌍 Definition Arbitrary Level: A standardized, artificial excavation unit (often 5–10 cm thick) used when natural soil layers are indistinct or absent.…

The aquatic ape theory (or aquatic ape hypothesis) is a controversial idea in anthropology that suggests human ancestors went through an aquatic or semi-aquatic phase, which shaped distinctive human traits such as bipedalism, hairlessness, and subcutaneous fat. It is largely rejected by mainstream scientists but remains popular in public imagination. 🌍 Definition Aquatic Ape Theory…

Aquarborealism in anthropology refers to a hypothesis about human evolution suggesting that early hominins were adapted to both arboreal (tree-dwelling) and aquatic or swampy environments, rather than strictly savanna habitats. It is a variant of the broader aquatic ape hypothesis, proposing that bipedalism and other human traits emerged in mixed forest–wetland settings. 🌍 Definition Aquarborealism:…

Applied anthropology is the practical use of anthropological knowledge, theories, and methods to solve real-world problems in contemporary societies. It bridges academic research with everyday challenges, making anthropology directly relevant to policy, development, health, business, and cultural preservation. 🌍 Definition Applied Anthropology: The application of anthropological insights to address social, economic, political, and environmental issues.…

In anthropology and evolutionary biology, “apomorphic” refers to a derived trait or characteristic that has evolved in a particular lineage, distinguishing it from its ancestral form. It is a technical term used in phylogenetics and comparative studies to classify evolutionary relationships. 🌍 Definition Apomorphic Trait: A feature that is derived (newly evolved) relative to an…

In anthropology, “ape” refers to the non-human primates most closely related to humans, studied for insights into evolution, behavior, and social organization. Apes are central to physical anthropology and primatology because they provide comparative data for understanding human origins. 🌍 Definition Ape: Large primates in the superfamily Hominoidea. Groups: Lesser apes: Gibbons and siamangs (family…

In anthropology and archaeology, an “anvil” refers to a hard surface used in tool-making, food processing, or craft production, often made of stone, bone, or metal. It is studied as part of material culture, showing how humans and their ancestors manipulated resources to create tools and sustain daily life. 🌍 Definition Anvil (anthropological sense): A…