A. The Medieval world-view: 6 propositions
1. World of recent, supernatural origin
2. Physical world was in advanced state of
degeneration
3. Humanity as created in Garden of Eden &
spread from there to other parts of the globe
4. It is natural for standards of human conduct to
degenerate
5. History of the world was interpreted as a
series of unique events
6. Medieval scholars unaware of historical
changes in material culture; primarily
concerned with moral & philosophical issues.
B. Enlightenment world-view, emerging in NW
Europe in late 17th century (Royal Society of
London founded 1660)
1. Ancients not superior to moderns (Bacon)
2. All human groups possess essentially the
same kind and level of intelligence and
emotions ("Psychic unity")
3. Cultural progress is a dominant feature of
human history; happens continuously for
natural, not supernatural causes
4. Progress characterizes not just technology but
also social organization, politics, morality, and
religious belief. (Conjectural histories)
5. Progress results from the exercise of rational
thought to improve the human condition
6. René Descartes (1596-1650): all natural
phenomena governed by universal, eternal
mechanical (natural) laws
C. Discovery of antiquities in Egypt & Med. (early
1800s): eventually added 3,000 years to history
1. Egypt: Napoleon's expedition; Rosetta stone;
Champollion; Giovanni Belzoni
2. Mesopotamia: Austin Henry Layard (Nim-
rud, Nineveh); decipherment of cuneiform
(Henry Rawlinson, 1840s-50s)
D. The Three-Age System & the discovery of Euro-
pean artifacts
1. Nicholas Mahudel, Paris: three successive ages
of stone, bronze, and iron (1734)
2. Stratigraphic excavations in Scandinavia: the
beginnings of scientific archaeology. Thomsen
(1788-1865: motivated by Reformation patri-
otism). Similar developments in Scotland &
Switzerland. Worsaee.
3. John Frère (1800), Le Boucher de Perthes
(1830s-1860s), & Prestwich & Evans (1860s):
from thunderstones and elf-bolt to stone celts
& projectile points)
E. New Geology: Lyell, uniformitarianism, &
fluviatilism (early 1800s)
F. The Theory of Evolution: descent with modifi-
cation (Darwin, 1859)
1. World not static but evolving
2. Evolution characterized by gradual, continual
change
3. Postulate of common descent
4. Natural selection
a. production of variation
b. selection through survival in struggle for
existence
G. B-F come together in the 1860s to give birth to a
new science of archaeology
H. Heinrich Schliemann, Troy, 1870s
I. Augustus Pitt-Rivers, 1880s
J. Development of chronological control & other
scientific inputs (Flinders Petrie, seriation; radiocarbon
dating, Libby; etc.)
K. Changing paradigms: approaches to under-
standing and explanation. Theoretical debates of
the 20th century: what archaeologists do.
1. Concern with accurate description, building
taxonomies and classifications, and culture
history through 1950s
2. Increased use of scientific (logical positivist)
approaches beginning in 1960s: explanation in
addition to description
3. Some challenges by post-modern ("post-
processualist") approaches beginning in early
1980s: a more relativistic approach,
emphasizing understanding rather than
explanation