Astrolabe

An instrument, usually consisting of a disk and pointer, formerly used to make astronomical measurements, especially of the altitudes of celestial bodies and as an aid in navigation.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Association

Co-occurrence of two or more objects sharing the same general location and stratigraphic level, that are thought to have been deposited at approximately the same time (being in or on the same matrix). Objects are said to be in association with each other when they are found together in a context ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Assemblage

A group of objects of different or similar types found in close association with each other and thus considered to be the product of one people from one period of time. Where the assemblage is frequently repeated and covers a reasonably full range of human activity, it is described as a culture; ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Askos

An assymetrical vessel, often squat and duck-shaped, with an off-center mouth, convex top, and single arching handle. It was originally shaped like a leather bottle (uter) for holding water, oil, or wine. Some examples have two mouths, one for filling and one for emptying, and others are quite un...

archaeologsEnglishAncient Pottery

Arystichos

A Greek or Roman vessel for drawing water, especially from amphorae. [arusane, arustis, aruter, ephebos, oinerusis] a small Roman bronze coin, four of which made a sestertius and 16 made a denarius.

archaeologsEnglishAncient Pottery, Others

Aryballos

Term for a small Greek vase or a large Inca pottery jar. The Greek flask was one-handled, normally globular (quasispherical or pear-shaped), with a narrowing neck. It was used mostly for oil, perfume, unguent, or condiments and stood about 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) high. Aryballos were originally made ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Arundel Marbles

A collection of marbles and ancient statues taken from Greece and Asia Minor at the expense of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel (1585-1646) and given to Oxford University in 1667, which came to be known as the Arundel (or Oxford) marbles. [Oxford marbles]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Artifact Typology

Placement of materials in a geographic, temporal, etc. context with other similar artifacts; the study of artifact classes with common characteristics; classification according to artifact type. [artefact typology]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Artifact Type

A description of a category of artifacts that share a set of somewhat variable attributes, such as spoons or tables; a population of artifacts that share a recurring range and combination of attributes. [artefact type]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Artifact

Any object (article, building, container, device, dwelling, ornament, pottery, tool, weapon, work of art) made, affected, used, or modified in some way by human beings. It may range from a coarse stone or a needle to a pyramid or a highly technical accomplishment - these objects are used to chara...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Articular Surface

Portion of a bone connecting with other bones.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Arrowhead

A small object of bone, metal, or stone that has been formed as the pointed end of an arrow for penetration and is often found at sites of prehistoric peoples. The earliest known are Solutrean points of the Upper Paleolithic. Arrowheads are often the only evidence of archery since the arrow shaft...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Arrow Straightener

A stone with a regular, straight groove on one face. It is thought to have been used to smooth wooden shafts of arrows, so the name is misleading. [arrowshaft straightener]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Arrow

A weapon consisting of a stick with a sharp pointed head, designed to be shot from a bow.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Arris

Sharp ridge or edge formed by the junction of two smooth surfaces, especially on the midrib of a dagger or sword, or in moldings. [arris, arrises (pl.)]

archaeologsEnglishWeapons, Tools

Arretine Ware

A type of bright red, polished pottery originally made at Arretium (modern Arezzo) in Tuscany from the 1st century bc to the 3rd century ad The term means literally “ware made of clay impressed with designs.” The ware was produced to be traded, especially throughout the Roman Empire. It is clearl...

archaeologsEnglishAncient Pottery

Armorico-British Dagger

Type of bronze dagger found in the Wessex I phase of the Early Bronze Age (c. 1700-1500 bc in southern Britain. It has a flat triangular blade, lateral grooves, six rivets for attaching the blade to the hilt, and sometimes a small tang or languette to assist securing the blade to the hilt. Traces...

archaeologsEnglishWeapons, Tools

Armorican Coin

Collective name for coinage issued by a range of tribes living in Brittany, France during the early 1st century bc

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Armor

Protective clothing with the ability to deflect or absorb arrows, bullets, lances, swords, or other weapons during combat. There are three main types: (1) armor made of leather, fabric, or mixed materials reinforced by quilting or felt; (2) mail of interwoven rings of iron or steel; and (3) rigid...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Armlet

A band or bracelet worn round the upper part of a person’s arm.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Argonne Ware

Pottery type of the 4th century ad usually red. Vessels are decorated with horizontal bands of impressed geometric patterns, executed with a roller stamp. The ware was made in the Argonne, northeast Gaul. [Marne ware]

archaeologsEnglishAncient Pottery

Argillite

A compact metamorphic rock formed from siltstone, shale, or claystone and intermediate in structure between shale and slate. It is cemented by silica but has no slaty cleavage.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Ardagh Chalice

A large, two-handled silver cup decorated with gold, gilt bronze, and enamel, that is one of the finest examples of early Christian art from the British Isles. Discovered in 1868, along with a small bronze cup and four brooches in a potato field in Ardagh, Ireland, the chalice may have been part ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Ard

An ancient light plow with a simple blade that was used to scratch the surface of the soil rather than turn furrows. It was drawn by animals or people and grooved the ground, but it had no mold board or colter and therefore did not turn over the soil. With this type of plow cross-plowing was usua...

archaeologsEnglishTools

Archaistic

İmitatively archaic; affectedly and deliberately antique.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Archaic Majolica

A series of jugs and bowls of the early 13th to late 16th centuries in Tuscan and Italian towns. They were decorated with geometric motifs, leaves, and other forms outlined in brown and set into green or brown backgrounds. They were sold as far apart as Spain, North Africa, and northern Europe. T...

archaeologsEnglishTools

Archaic Majolica

Archaic

A term used to describe an early stage in the development of civilization. In New World chronology, it is the period just before the shift from hunting, gathering, and fishing to agricultural cultivation, pottery development, and village settlement. Initially, the term was used to designate a non...

archaeologsEnglishPeriods

Arc Style

An early style of Celtic art in which compass-drawn geometric motifs predominate.

archaeologsEnglishArchitectural

Apulian Pottery

An important type of south Italian pottery, mostly decorated in the red-figured technique. Production seems to have started in the late 5th century bc and may have been influenced by Athenian pottery. One of the early centers may have been Tarentum. In the middle of the 4th century the scenes bec...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Appliqué

Decoration or ornament applied to or laid on another material, such as metal on wood or embroidery on cloth; a ceramic finishing technique that involves joining shaped pieces of a plastic body to a leather-hard surface by pressure. The applied pieces can be functional (e.g., handles) or decorativ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Apotropaic

Of statues, etc., supposedly having the power to avert evil influences or bad luck.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Apothecary Jar

A jar used to store medicines, drugs, or the constituent parts of medicines and drugs.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Aplastics

İntentional or accidental inclusions in pottery clays before firing; particulate matter in a clay body that does not contribute to plasticity or that reduces the plasticity of the clay. [aplastic, temper]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Anvil Technique

A prehistoric method of making chipped stone tools that involves striking a stone repeatedly against a static boulder used as an anvil. [anvil flaking]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Anvil

A block, usually of iron, upon which objects are shaped and hammered, e.g., in smithing.

archaeologsEnglishTools

Antler Sleeve

A section of deer antler carved into a cavity or hole at one end to hold a stone axhead. The piece was either set into a socket in a haft or perforated to attach to the haft. This material was used for its resilience and shock-absorbing value in toolmaking. Roughly trimmed antler picks have been ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Antler

Lowest, forward branch of the horn of a deer - bonelike material that is grown and shed annually. Antlers indicate the sex of the species, for example only male red deer, fallow deer, and elk (moose) have antlers. They may also indicate whether a site is occupied seasonally as they are naturally ...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Anthropomorphic

Manlike; used to describe artifacts or art work decorated with human features or with a manlike appearance. [anthropomorphous]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Anthropomorph

A representation of the human form in art, such as those found on ancient pottery; figure, object, or rock art with or using a human shape. The term also refers to the attribution of human features and behaviors to animals, inanimate objects, or natural phenomena. [anthropomorphic figure; anthrop...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Anthropoid

Of human form; manlike. Taken from the Greek term for man-shaped, it is used to describe sarcophagi and coffins and other artifacts of human shape. The term is also used to describe a being that is only human in form or an anthropoid ape (gibbons, orangs, chimpanzees, gorillas). [anthropomorphous]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Anterior Scar Height

Bivalve measurement.

archaeologsEnglishTools

Anterior Scar Height

Antefix

Ornamental tiles fixed to the eaves and cornices of ancient Greek and Roman buildings to decoratively conceal the ends of the rain tiles. The term also refers to vertical ornamental heads of animals, etc. that were the spouts from the gutters. [antefixal (adj.)]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Ansa

Latin term for handle or anything handlelike, such as an eyelet, haft, or hole. Any vessel or vase with large ears or circular handles on the neck or body is said to have ansae. [ansae (pl.)]

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Annular Ring Nail

A nail with sharp-edged ridges that lock into wood fibers and greatly increase its holding power.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Annular

Ring-shaped.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Annealing

The treating of a metal or alloy with heat and then cold - or the repeated process of heating and hammering to produce the desired shape. After casting metal, it may be necessary to further process it by cold working, hammering, and drawing the metal - either to produce hard cutting edges or to p...

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Anklet

An ornamental chain worn around the ankle.

archaeologsEnglishOthers

Ankh

Egyptian hieroglyphic sign for life, consisting of a T-shape surmounted by a loop. It represents a sandal strap or the handle of a mirror. The ankh is commonly shown being carried by deities and pharaohs and was widely used as an amulet. Temple reliefs frequently included scenes in which a king w...

archaeologsEnglishOthers