Identifying An Artifact Essay

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When identifying an artifact, archeologists have to rely heavily on preexisting knowledge, common senses, and each other. Exercise one displayed how the identity of an artifact and its cultural importance is not easily determined by its outward appearance. Even if the identification of the artifact is obvious, archeologists ask basic questions in order to understand the use and significances of an artifact. Often this question lead to more questions rather than answers, still the assignment showed how asking questions and gathering basic information could lead to the identification of different artifacts. Artifact number one is a manila. A manila is a copper or copper alloy bracelet that Europeans used as a form of money in the African slave trade. According to one source Africans considered copper to be equivalent to modern gold and the bracelets …show more content…

According to John T. Powell, the Spanish military and Spanish colonist used these buttons. In addition, American colonist wore these buttons as a sign of rebellion against English rule. The rust and the erosion of the artifact are smaller to that of coins found under water. Research gained from past assignments hinted toward a military button. However, most of the buttons were not flat enough to be the artifact in question. The next step in the researcher was to see if the artifact related to coin minting. Researching coins lead to the connection between the Spanish reel and the top design on the button. Even after identifying, the artifact there was more information to discover. The ca in the bottom left hand corner of the coin is the beginning of the Latin form of Charles III, which would date this coin approximately, 1759-1788. This artifact shows that an archeologist has to be careful when looking at artifacts because people often reuse the old in order to make something

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