reconstruction

the process of describing, explaining, and interpreting all facets of life in a now extinct culture—from the ways people made a living, to the clothes they wore, to the type of social organization in which they participated.

The information for reconstruction often comes from detailed excavation, and is accumulated over time by all archaeologists.

Posted online on Monday, January 1st, 2001

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Reconstructing the Past: Archaeology and Experimentation

Submitted by Scott Jones ([email protected]) Archaeologists seeking to reconstruct past lifeways rely for their interpretations on the timeworn remains of ancient cultures for guidance; here in our humid Georgia climate, we are further disadvantaged since often only the inorganic residues of prehistoric culture remain.

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