Cave Bear

Yudinovo

Upper Palaeolithic sites on the Sudost' River in European Russia with dates c 15,660-12,300 bp. Three mammoth-bone houses have been found and non-stone artifacts such as perforated shells from the Black Sea.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Yudinovo

Spigot

A form of stopper used to regulate the flow of liquid, often used in a barrel.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Spigot

Felsite

A dense, fine-grained, igneous rock consisting typically of feldspar and quartz

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Felsite

Umayyad

The first great Muslim dynasty of Arab leaders (caliphs) to rule the Empire of the Caliphate, 661-750 AD, descended from a Meccan merchant who became a prominent administrator under the Prophet Muhammad. Headed by Abu Sufyan, the Umayyads were a tribe centered in Mecca who initially resisted Isla...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Umayyad

Amber

Fossilized pine resin, a transparent yellow, orange, or reddish-brown material from coniferous trees. It is amorphous, having a specific gravity of 1.05-1.10 and hardness of 2-2.5 on the Mohs scale, and has two varieties - gray and yellow. Amber was appreciated and popular in antiquity for its be...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Amber

Lindholme Hoje

A site on the northern shore of Limfjord in Jutland, used as a gravefield from the prehistoric period until the Viking era, including a Viking ship cemetery. In the 11th century it was overlaid by a Viking village which functioned as a small trading and industrial settlement. One interesting find...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Lindholme Hoje

Fettle

To trim rough edges, casting or mold marks, or other imperfections from dry or leather-hard ware before firing

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Fettle

Chaine Opératoire

A perspective for studying lithic technology that emphasizes the sequence of decisions and behaviors from raw material selection and acquisition, through manufacture, use, recycling, and discard.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Chaine Opératoire

Pipkin

Style of medieval ceramic vessel in the form of a saucepan with a single hollow handle probably made to take a wooden extension.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Pipkin

Aniconic

A seal bearing no image.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Aniconic

Niche

In ecology, the smallest unit of a habitat that is occupied by an organism. Habitat niche refers to the physical space occupied by the organism; ecological niche refers to the role it plays in the community of organisms found in the habitat (sometimes referred to as an animal's profession). Niche...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Niche

Replicability

The ability of different scientists using the same methods of observation or experimentation to achieve the same results. Also, it is the state or property of being experimentally replicable.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Replicability

Coyotlatelco

A ceramic horizon of the Early Post-Classic Period beginning in central Mesoamerica after the fall of Teothihuacan. It was a distinctive red-on-buff painted ware and appeared in the early phases of both Tula and Cholula, and is a forerunner of the late Mazpan style.

archaeologsEnglishAncient Pottery

Coyotlatelco

Paleoeskimo

The earliest prehistoric Eskimo people, before the beginning of whale hunting; later whale-hunting people are called Neoeskimo.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Paleoeskimo

Dolium

A large Greek or Roman coarse earthenware vessel with a wide mouth and spherical form. It was used to store wine and oil; later smaller vessels were produced.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Dolium

Ladle

A long handled scoop usually used with liquids.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Ladle

Occipital Bun

A prominent shelf or protrusion at the back of a skull, usu. to describe Neanderthal crania.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Occipital Bun

Warka

Ancient Mesopotamian city northwest of Ur (Tall Al-Muqayyar) in southeastern Iraq, one of the greatest cities of Sumer. Its occupation began in 'Ubaid 2 (c 5000 BC) and continued through Parthian times (126 BC-224 AD). It was most important during Late Uruk to Early Dynastic times. Urban life in ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Warka

Birdpoint

A smaller arrowhead used by Native Americans to kill small game such as the rabbit, waterfowl, and birds

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Birdpoint

Basques; Basque

A people living in both Spain and France in areas bordering the Bay of Biscay and encompassing the western foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. The Basques are distinguished partly by an unusual pattern of blood groups, very high in the Rhesus negative factor, and by their language, quite unrelat...

archaeologsEnglishNations, Ancient Languages

Basques; Basque

Hard Water Effect

A potential source of artifact contamination in radiocarbon dating. When material that is radiocarbon-dated has been buried, groundwater may have percolated into it. Groundwater frequently contains dissolved calcium carbonate, where it has passed through limestones. Such carbonate may crystallize...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Hard Water Effect

Thinning

Decreasing the thickness of an artifact, or a portion of an artifact by extensive flaking. Basal Thinning refers to the removal of thickness from the hafting area by means of flake removal.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Thinning

Mylasa

A town in Asia Minor possibly founded by Mausolus, ruler of Caria (377-353 BC). Hellenistic and Roman site with Corinthian-style Temple of Zeus, Temple of Augustus and Rome, and ceremonial arch.

archaeologsEnglishAncient Cities, Place Names

Mylasa

Lienzo

In ancient Mesoamerica, a lengthy document made of animal skin or cloth, similar to a codex. The difference is that a lienzo is rectangular or irregular and a codex is a long scroll. The lienzo is often a map depicting elite land holdings. The surviving specimens were prepared after the Spanish C...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Lienzo

Ecozone

An area defined by a set of exploitable resources and its climate.

archaeologsEnglishOthers