In order to preserve soil samples, forensic scientists must place the object in a bag so that any soil that falls off the object will still be collected…
Imagine that you are a tour guide in Latin America. Your clients want to see the artwork and ruins of the earliest known pre-Columbian civilization. They also want to know the history behind them. To satisfy their interests, you must custom develop a tour just for them. You will call it "The Legacies of the Olmec, Zapotec, and Chavín". Describe each of the 3 artifacts below:…
Weathering of headstones depends on the presence of water, the temperature, and the mineral and chemical composition of material used to create the headstone. In particular, the material used to create the headstone makes a big difference in how the headstone will weather over time. In the past, headstones were made of slate, wood, fieldstone and cast iron however, these materials did not hold up well over time. Now, Granite and bronze are the most popular materials to make headstones because they are sturdy, durable, and resistant to harsh weather. In some instances, marble is used, but marble tends to erode overtime, leaving names and details blurry and indistinct.…
When archeologists study the ruins they look for a few key signs, First material wealth,…
was taken, along with other iconic marbles, from the Acropolis by Lord Elgin between 1801 -…
A major and crucial component of artifacts left behind from cultures all over the world is art. Art allows us to see how a specific society perceived the world at that point in time, as well as a way to have a visual representation of the life, and culture of past civilizations. One major group with remarkable art is the Mesopotamian people of the fertile crescent. Two major artifacts of ancient Mesopotamia, that were more than just a work of art, but a precious historical document were the Stele of Hammurabi and the Stele of Naram-Sin.…
For Permineralization, the organism must be buried or encased in some type of material (sand, sediment, mud, tar) soon after death while the organism’s features are still intact. Then groundwater trickles into tiny pores and spaces. The excess minerals in the water are deposited on the remaining tissues. The mineral deposits are left behind making a fossilized record to replace the organic tissues with hard minerals. It has the same shape as the original structure and may keep tissue.…
Paper and People can be preserved very well at times to the point where it can be affected and rotten away very lightly depending on when the archaeologist discovers it. However, when it comes to land and architecture, like buildings, it can be affected and…
d) What are the main arguments for and against the repatriation of cultural material? Discuss with reference either to human remains or archaeological artefacts.…
In a few cases, though, fossils have been preserved by freezing (as with mammoths in Siberia and Alaska) or when the animals have become stuck and died in a tar pit (such as the famous La Brea tar pit near Los Angeles, California). Sometimes a fossil is the result of a volcanic eruption. Ash and mud from the volcano can cover animals and plants killing them at the same time.…
Human remains, dinosaurs, bones, plant material that has not decomposed, fossils, diseases within organic materials…
Ecofacts: stuff recovered from an archaeological context either the remains of a biological organism or results of geological processes…
"Papyrus Papyrus was the most important writing material in the ancient world. Our word ""paper"" derives from the word ""papyrus,"" an Egyptian word that originally meant ""that which belongs to the house"" (the bureaucracy of ancient Egypt). Papyrus is a triangular reed that used to grow along the banks of the Nile, and at an early stage of their history the Egyptians developed a kind of writing material made out of the pith within the stem of the papyrus plant. At the same time they developed a script that ultimately provided the model for the two most common alphabets in the world, the Roman and the Arabic. . The task of the papyrologist is not only to decipher, transcribe and edit what is preserved, but also to reconstruct what is lost between fragments and reconstruct the whole.…
By Chris Dinesen Rogers, eHow Contributor updated: April 22, 2010 Pollution 's Impact on Historical Monuments Significance Pollution negatively impacts historical monuments and buildings around the world, from the Acropolis in Greece to the America ' s own Lincoln Memorial. The threat is in the risk of losing these irreplaceable structures forever. Many of these monuments have cultural and aesthetic value that is beyond price. Acid Rain One of the more destructive forms of pollution is acid rain. Acid rain occurs when fossil fuel emissions containing sulfur dioxide combine with moisture in the air to form acidic precipitation. When acid rain falls on historical monuments of limestone or marble , a chemical reaction takes place which has a corrosive effect on these structures. The reaction dissolves the material, leading to permanent damage. Global Warming According to the National Climatic Data Center, global temperatures have risen during the past century at a rate of 0.11 degrees Fahrenheit per decade. The concern with historical monuments lies in the temperature impacts on the chemistry. Heat acts as a catalyst, speeding the rate of chemical reactions. The fate of historical monuments becomes more uncertain, and the urgency to take action increases. Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide trap radiant heat at the earth 's surface, which causes temperatures to rise . Contributing Factors Other factors contribute to the rate of damage to historical monuments. An increase in humidity provides the necessary environment for corrosive chemical reactions in the absence of rain. Likewise, changes in sun radiation can temporarily raise temperatures on the surface of monuments, mimicking the effects of global warming on a specific site. Prevention/Solution Fortunately, the levels of atmospheric sulfur dioxide have declined in recent years, mitigating some effects of pollution on historical monuments. According to the U.S. Environment Protection…
Heritage conservation has become a major concern in the society since the last decade, with the innovation project in Lee Tung Street and the demolition of Star Ferry Pier. By definition, heritage is a collective noun representing both tangible and intangible assets inherited from the past. It is worth preserving for retaining collective memories of the public, creating a national identity and educating our future generation. Although the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance is responsible to conversation and promotion work of the heritage in Hong Kong, its work faces certain degree of difficulties due to several reasons. This essay first starts with the causes of the difficult situation faced in preserving heritages, then concludes by solutions in which the authorities can expedite their actions.…