Class 11 Anthropology Chapter 5 Prehistoric Anthropology

Class 11 Anthropology Chapter 5 Prehistoric Anthropology As Per New Syllabus. Class 11 Question Answer to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse throughout different chapters SCERT Class 11 Anthropology Chapter 5 Prehistoric Anthropology and select needs one.

Class 11 Anthropology Chapter 5 Prehistoric Anthropology

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Prehistoric Anthropology

Chapter – 5

EXERCISES

1. Write short answers:

(a) Who is the author of the book ‘The old stone age’?

Ans: The author of the book ‘The old stone age’ is Francois Bordes.

(b) Who first used the term ‘prehistory’?

Ans: Daniel Wilson first used the term ‘prehistory’.

(c) Who is the author of the book ‘Primitive Culture ‘?

Ans: Edward Tylor is the author of the book ‘Primitive Culture’.

(d) Who invented the radio-carbon dating method?

Ans: Dr. W.F. Libby invented the radio-carbon dating method.

(e) Who invented the Dendrochronology dating method.

Ans: Dr. A. Douglas invented the Dendrochronology dating method.

2. Describe the Potassium-argon dating method.

Ans: Potassium- argon analysis is another method of absolute dating which is based on a technique similiar to that of radio-carbon analysis. Following intense heating due to volcanic eruption, radio- active potassium decays of a known rate to form argon. As the rate of disintegration of K40 is known, therefore it is possible to determine the age of the given rock or volcanic debries by measuring the ratio of radioactive potassium to argon. Radioactive potassium’s half life is very long i.e. 1330 million years. This means that K- Ar dating may be used to date samples from 5000 years old up to 3 million years old. 

The K- Ar method is used to date minerals and rocks in a deposit and not the fossil specimens themselves. Potassium is especially common in ignores minerals and volcanic glass and is also found in some sedimentary rocks. Because volcanic deposits are quite likely to have been formed at the sometime as fossils found in the depositd the K- Ar method is well suited to dating these kinds of fossils.

Potassium argon dating had some limitations. Not all fossil deposits include volcanic materials and not all sedimentary deposits have potassium containing minerals. This means that other methods must be used to date such fossil deposits. With the help of potassium argon dating method, the hominid remain at Olduvai Garge were dated which yielded a date of 1.75 million years.

3. What is plio-pleistocene boundary? How it is defined?

Ans: The words ‘Pleistocene’ is originated from two Greek words ‘pleistos’ means most and finals and ‘koinos’ means new. The term first used by Charles layell, physiologist in 1839. Another Geologists Haug formulated a theory to define pleistocene in 1921. In 1948 this formula was accepted in the international geological conference held in London. According to this formula the lower Pleistocene must contain any one or more fossils from the groups identified as Villafranchia and calibrian and the strata below this is Pliocene. Villafranchia is the combination of three major fossils of terrestrial animals- known as Boss, equaus and elephus, while calibrian is the combination of fossils of marine brachiopods and Molluscs. When any one or more fossils of these groups found in a strata, it can be recognized as Pleistocene. And below this strata is Pliocene. This imaginary line is known as Plio-pleistocene Boundary. 

It is defined as “The commission recommends that in order to eliminate ambiguity in clothes as its base in the type areas the calibrian formation together with its terrestrial equivalent the villafranchian.

4. What is excavation? Write name of a few instruments use in excavation.

Ans: Excavation is done to discover cultural sequence in the site and also collect and record details of cultural levels lying below the surface of the soil.

There are two types of digging. One is vertical and the other is horizontal. The vertical digging determines the different cultural levels lying one over the others. For this careful control over stratigraphy is to be maintained. Horizontal digging reveals relationship between each cultural material found in the same level.

Excavation is generally carried out to know the general nature of the site, material remains of prehistoric past. Excavation destroys primary evidences, it is essential to keep good records. Every minute change is the colour of soil or earth excavation are recorded, collected and examined. All the objects unearthed must be carefully jotted down in the context of the soil and the colour and texture of every objects must be minutely noted down.

After collection of data through exploration and excavation archaeologists are ready to analyse the recovered artifacts and other materials from the site. Before analysis, archaeologists must first conserve and reconstruct the materials they have found. Conservation is the process of treating artifacts, ecofacts and is some cases even features, to stop decoy, and if possible, even reverse the detoriation process. It is important to protect and converse artifacts and other archaeological resources for the future. The recovered material have to classify on the basis of similarity, contexts, raw material, functurs technology etc. 

5. What are the different sources of studying prehistory? Describe.

Ans: The different sources of studying prehistory are: The goal of prehistoric anthropology is reconstruction of past ways of life. It deals with the study text free sources or unwritten documents. There are no written records from those periods from which to draw inferences. But we have other kind of sources, other kinds of evidences from the past. These sources help us to know a lot about how our human ancestors evolved and how they lived long ago.

If we are going to study individual societies, communities or other groupings of people in the prehistoric period, we have got to use various techniques and remains of past. Because the people we are studying are dead. We cannot go and ask them questions and watch their daily life. The main sources of studying prehistory period is material cultural remains. Material cultural refers to the sum of artifacts. Stone tools are the earliest traces of material culture. Besides artifacts prehistorian rely on three kinds of sources to learn about the past. These are ecofacts, fossils and features. Together artifacts, ecofacts, fossils and features provide a detailed story about human life long ago. Artifacts and fossils are known as movable sources on the other hand ecofacts and features are immovable sources of studying prehistoric anthropology.

6. Write the causes of the occurrence of the great ice age.

Ans: Do yourself.

7. What is pluvial period? Write the names of pluvial and interpluvial periods.

Ans: Prolong periods of high rainfall are called pluvials and are marked by changes in lake levels and it flora and fauna. Relatively wet climate is pluvial period.

The names of pluvial periods are:

(a) Kageran.

(b) Kamasian.

(c) Kanjeran.

(d) Gamblian.

And the names of interpluvial periods are:

(a) Kageran-Kamasian.

(b) Kamasian- Kanjeran.

(c) Kanjeran- gamblian.

8. Describe the climate of Pleistocene period.

Ans: In 1940 famous astronomer melanin melancovits forwarded a theory on the role of orbitals changes of earth which is known as melancovit’s cycle. According to this theory changes in shape and positions of orbit of earth could cause drastic changes of climate. He proposed that the shape of the orbit 8f earth changes slightly once in 96000 years. It causes owing to the gravitational forces of Venus. The temperature in different seasons occurs due to inclination of earth’s orbit due to the rotation of earth on its axis in every 26000 years interval. The process is known as axial- precision according to Melanchovitch, all this factors were responsible for ice age in pleistocene period.

On the basis of similar observation, other two causes of changes of climate in pleistocene period were put forwarded by two scientist James croll and Simpson.

The astronomical hypothesis of climate change which is also known as Croll’s hypothesis was put forwarded by astronomer James croll. He proved that the changes of shape of the earth’s orbit was the main factor of drastic climatic changes during Pleistocene. When the shape of the orbit become more elongated, the polar region receive more solar rays and more spaces are covered with ice sheets. And the when shape become rounded, interglacial period occurs.

Simpson’s theory proposed by Simpson, both the earth and sun changes it’s portion. As it result the temperature varies from time to time and climate changes occur.    

Though different scientists had put forwarded different causes no theory could explain it completely. May be climatic changes occurred during pleistocene in different reasons which cause differentiation in solar radiation.

9. What is dating method? Describe any one of the absolute or relative dating method.

Ans: Dating method deals with the unrecorded period of human history. The cultural materials of the past have been found embedded under the earth’s crust. Prehistoric culture is dated from the geological, palaeontological, archaeological and such other remains. There are two methods of dating or determining the chronology of a prehistoric site. They are known as relative and absolute dating.

Absolute dating method is used to measure the actual age of a specimen or deposit. It can give the time sequence in terms of calendrical years. Absolute dating is afforded by analyzing the radioactive isotopes like radio carbon, potassium argon and also by fission track etc. Thus of the two methods, relative dating provides only relative date whereas absolute dating is purely based on physico chemical analysis of the radio-active isotopes of fossils, that can provide a concrete time period in terms of calendrical years.

The absolute method of dating prehistoric culture is purely a scientific device. Prehistoric artifacts are found in association with the fossils of animals. The physico chemical analysis of the fossil bones give a concrete time period of its existence. Thus with the help of such analysis the actual days in terms of years of an artifact or culture can be determined. There are various methods of absolute dating.

10. How paleoanthropology helps in the study of prehistory?

Ans: Do yourself.