Provenience

Definition

Provenience refers to the specific location where an artifact or archaeological feature is found within a site, including its three-dimensional coordinates. Understanding provenience is essential because it helps establish the context of the artifact, revealing its relationship to other finds, layers, and features within the excavation. This information can inform researchers about the behavior, culture, and activities of past societies.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Provenience is crucial for understanding how artifacts relate to each other within a site and what that might indicate about human behavior.
2. When recording provenience, archaeologists note not only the horizontal location but also the vertical position of an artifact in relation to surrounding layers.
3. Artifacts without documented provenience can lose their archaeological significance, making it difficult to understand their role in the cultural and historical context.
4. The accuracy of provenience data can influence interpretations of trade routes, social organization, and technological development in past societies.
5. In modern archaeology, technologies like GPS and 3D scanning are increasingly being used to enhance the recording of provenience.

Review Questions

• How does provenience affect our understanding of an archaeological site's significance?
  • Provenience plays a key role in interpreting an archaeological site's significance as it provides detailed information about where artifacts were found within the site. By knowing the exact location and context of each artifact, researchers can analyze patterns of human behavior, trade relationships, and cultural practices. This context allows archaeologists to create more accurate narratives about past societies based on the relationships between artifacts.
• Discuss the importance of documenting provenience during excavations and what consequences might arise from neglecting this practice.
  • Documenting provenience during excavations is vital because it ensures that the spatial relationships between artifacts are recorded accurately. If this practice is neglected, valuable information about how artifacts relate to one another and their surrounding context can be lost. Without proper provenience documentation, researchers may misinterpret data or overlook important cultural insights, ultimately hindering our understanding of historical contexts and human behaviors.
• Evaluate how advancements in technology have impacted the methods used for recording provenience in modern archaeology.
  • Advancements in technology have significantly improved how provenience is recorded in modern archaeology by introducing tools like GPS and 3D scanning. These technologies allow for precise measurements and detailed documentation of an artifact's location within an excavation site. This level of accuracy enhances the ability to analyze spatial relationships among finds, leading to better interpretations of cultural behaviors and social dynamics. As a result, technology not only streamlines data collection but also enriches our understanding of archaeological contexts.

Related terms

Stratigraphy: Stratigraphy is the study of rock layers and layering, which in archaeology refers to the analysis of soil layers and their sequence at a site, providing context for artifacts found within those layers.

Context: Context in archaeology refers to the relationship of an artifact to its surroundings, including its provenience and association with other artifacts and features, which helps interpret its significance.

Site Grid: A site grid is a systematic layout established by archaeologists to help accurately record the provenience of artifacts by dividing the excavation area into a coordinate system.