Archaeology relies on correlations with other fields like the natural sciences. Artifacts must be analyzed with knowledge of geology, zoology, botany, and palynology to understand the environment and human interactions. Geological studies provide climate context. Zooarchaeology and archaeobotany reveal past diets, economies, and seasons from animal and plant remains. Physical anthropology aids the study of early human evolution and anatomy. Archaeology also correlates with social sciences for holistic cultural reconstructions.

1. ARCHAEOLOGY ITS
CORRELATION WITH
OTHER SUBJECTS
DR.AGHALYA.,M.A.,M.ED.,M.PHIL.,PH.D.,
HEAD & ASST.PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
BON SECOURS COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
THANJAVUR

2. ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE NATURAL
SCIENCES

3. ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE
NATURAL SCIENCES
• The material objects that are recovered during excavations are
the archaeologists's historical "documents".
• It is therefore necessary to obtain as much material as possible
from the earth.
• Stone implements and other material objects are not sufficient
to enable us to arrive at an accurate reconstruction of a specific
culture.
• We also need to consider the environment, animals life, plant
life, climate - especially when we study the earliest history of
humans.

4. OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION ARE
CONCERNED, THE ARCHAEOLOGIST MUST KNOW
SOMETHING ABOUT A WHOLE SERIES OF OTHER
SUBJECTS
ARCHAEOLOGY
GEOLOGY
ZOOLOGY
BOTONY
Physical
Anthropolog

5. GEOLOGY

6. GEOLOGY
• A study of geological phenomena may shed light on the natural
environment in which prehistoric cultures occurred.
• The way in which geological layers were formed, for example by
aeolian or fluvial action, gives an indication of the climatic conditions
prevalent at the time of their formation.
• Furthermore, it is obvious that an knowledge of petrology, mineralogy
and crystallography is essential for an understanding of prehistoric
technology.
• It constitutes the basis for the study of all objects manufactured from
metal and stone.

7. ZOOLOGY AND ARCHAEOZOOLOGY
• Valuable insights into the relationship between prehistoric humans and their
environment have been gained through an analysis of faunal remains found in
archaeological sites (archaeozoology).
• Archaeozoology involves the identification and analysis of faunal species from
archaeological sites as an aid to the reconstruction of human diets and the
environment.
• This tells us, for example, whether the mode of subsistence of a given group
was based on hunting, on animal husbandry or on both.
• At the same time we can draw inferences about the climate and vegetation.
• These inferences are based on the assumption that the distribution of animal
species is determined by environmental conditions.

8. ZOOLOGY AND
ARCHAEOZOOLOGY

9. BOTANY AND ARCHAEOBOTANY
• Plant remains (usually macrobotanical remains) such as seeds, fruit, the
inedible remains and waste products of edible plant foods ( skins, hulls,
etcetera) and charcoal are as important as zoological finds.
• Palenthnobotany or archaeobotany, which involves the recovery and
identification of plant remains from archaeological contexts, is important in
the reconstruction of prehistoric environments and economies.
• Plant remains provide information on the human use of plants in hunting and
gathering economies and in agriculture.
• For instance, plant remains tell us about the relative importance of various
foods, food processing (collecting, harvesting and cooking), storage, food
domestication and seasonality ( the exploitation of food sources during
different seasons).

10. BOTANY AND ARCHAEOBOTANY

11. PALYNOLOGY

12. PALYNOLOGY
• Pollen analysis or polynology is the branch of science concerned with the
study of pollen, spores and similar palynomorphs, living and in the
archaeological record.
• In regions where the conditions are favourable for the preservation of
pollen, palynology plays an important part in the determination of
climate changes and ecological conditions.

13. PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
• This field of study focuses on human biological aspects.
• It includes a study of human biological evolution as well humanity's
current biological form and variation.
• Archaeologists are particularly interested in that section of physical
anthropology that covers the history of the early biological development
of the human species (human palaeontology).

14. PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

15. PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

16. PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
• The study of human fossils is usually the province of an expert.
• The archaeologist should, however, have an elementary knowledge
of human anatomy for work such as the accurate assembling of
bones found in a deposit.
• To understand how language could become an integral part of
culture, the archaeologist must be acquainted with the functions of
language and its physiological basis (for example, the functioning of
organs of speech).

17. ARCHAEOLOGY WITH OTHER
SOCIAL SCIENCE

18. JAI HIND