by V. S. Holmes
Molcajete - traditional mortar and pestle from Latin American countries. Has three, often conical legs and a broad, shallow bowl and is typically made of ground stone.
Monte Verde - Archaeological site located in Acclaimed in 1997 as the earliest known site in the Americas and the first undoubted pre-Clovis site (Archaeology Archive. 2015)
Munsell - The Munsell Soil Color Book is filled with colored tiles carefully organized into families and rows/columns of reds and yellows as well as a few other, rarer soil colors. It allows universal identification of soil colors.
Osteology - The study of the structure and function of bones. (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015)
Paleolithic - The early stage of the Stone Age, beginning about 750,000 years ago. During this time humans relied on stone technology to sustain their scavenging, hunting and gathering lifestyle. (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015)
Perimortem - at or near the time of death; in perimortem injuries, bone damage occurring at or near the time of death, without any evidence of healing. (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2015)
Phase II - archaeological testing of a site previously identified through Phase I survey. Phase II survey determines horizontal and vertical boundaries of a site as well as significance.
Prehistoric - The period of human history preceding written records. (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015)
Projectile point - stone point affixed to the shaft of an arrow, dart, or spear.
Protein residue analysis - Protein residue analysis is used to identify the presence of prehistoric, historic, or even modern proteins, both animal and plant. (PaleoResearch Institute. 2010)
Radiocarbon dating - An absolute dating technique used to determine the age of organic materials less than 50,000 years old. Age is determined by examining the loss of the unstable carbon-14 isotope, which is absorbed by all living organisms during their lifespan. Dates generated by radiocarbon dating have to be calibrated using dates derived from other absolute dating methods, such as dendrochronology and ice cores. (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015)
Scoria - Scoria is a dark-colored igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities known as vesicles. It ranges in color from black or dark gray to deep reddish brown. It is often carved into molcajete, ceremonial artifacts and, most famously, the heads of Easter Island. (Geoscience News and Information: Geology.com. 2015)
Shovel Test Pit - An excavation unit used in the initial investigation of a site or area, before large-scale excavation begins, that allows the archaeologist to “preview” what lies under the ground. (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015)
Silicate - silicates contain silicon and make up about 25 percent of all known minerals, 40 percent all the most common ones. (Bonewitz et. al., 2005)
Spectroscopy - Spectroscopy pertains to the dispersion of an object's light into its component colors (i.e. energies). By performing this dissection and analysis of an object's light, astronomers can infer the physical properties of that object (such as temperature, mass, luminosity and composition). (University of Arizona. 2015)
Strata - The layers (strata) of sediments, soils, and material culture at an archaeological site. (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015) (See Fig. 3)
Stratigraphy - The study of the strata at an archaeological site (also used in geology for the study of geological layers). (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015)
Total station - An optical surveyor's instrument that combines a transit and an electronic distance measuring device. A total station calculates angles and distances for surveyed objects. This information can be used to create topographic maps. (Archaeological Institute of America, 2015)
Unit - An excavated area measuring 1m or 2m square. Multiple units will make up a larger grid.
YBP - Years Before Present
Sources
About Education. 2015. “The (pre) History of the Clovis - Early Hunting Groups of the Americas.” Retrieved July 23, 2015 (http://archaeology.about.com/od/clovispreclovis/qt/clovis_people.htm)
Archaeological Institute of America. 2015 “Introduction to Archaeology: Glossary.” Retrieved Dec. 3, 2015 (https://www.archaeological.org/education/glossary)
Archaeology Archive. 2015 “Online Features: Monte Verde Under Fire.” Retrieved June, 4, 2015 (http://archive.archaeology.org/online/features/clovis/)
Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. 2015. “About ALMA.” Retrieved Aug. 9 2015 (http://www.almaobservatory.org/en/about-alma )
Bonewitz, Carruthers, and Efthim. 2005. Rock and Gem. New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley Limited
Casanova, Salazar, Seguel, and Luzio. 2013. The Soils of Chile. New York, NY: Springer.
Central Archaeological Group Inc. 2016 “What is Contract Archaeology?” Retrieved Jan 4 2016 (http://www.centralarchaeology.ca/what-is-contract-archaeology)
Geoscience News and Information: Geology.com. 2015 “What is Scoria.” Retrieved Dec. 5 2015 (http://geology.com/rocks/scoria.shtml)
Intercontinental Cry 2015 “Indiginous Peoples Archive, Latest Articles: Mapuche.” Retrieved January, 1, 2016 (https://intercontinentalcry.org/indigenous-peoples/mapuche/)
Museum of Anthropology. 2015 “Paleoindian Archaeology: Clovis Stone Tools.” Retrieved Dec. 3 2015 (https://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/minigalleries/clovistools/intro.shtml )
National Geographic Education. 2016 “Geographic Information System.” Retrieved Jan 3, 2016. (http://education.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/geographic-information-system-gis/)
National Geographic Genographic Project. 2015. “Bridge to the New World.” Retrieved Sept. 24 2015 (https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/land-bridge/ )
PaleoResearch Institute. 2010. “Protein Residue.” Retrieved Nov. 14 2015 (http://www.paleoresearch.com/services/pra.html)
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2015. “Definition: Perimortem.” Retrieved Dec. 3 2015 (http://anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/comic/activity/pdf/Perimortem.pdf )
University of Arizona. 2015. “What is Spectroscopy?” Retrieved Dec 3 2015 (http://loke.as.arizona.edu/~ckulesa/camp/spectroscopy_intro.html)
Whittaker, John C. Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools. 1994. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to Dr. Tom Strasser of Providence College in Rhode Island, who led my first dig on Crete. Without you, I never would have known how amazing archaeology is.
Thank you to Dr. James Stemp of Keene State College in New Hampshire. Your guidance, your incredible knowledge and passion for other peoples -- particularly the Maya of Belize -- changed my path forever.
Thanks to you Dr. Richard Boisvert, State Archaeologist of New Hampshire. Your field schools gave me the valuable tools for my career and your continued humor and drive is truly inspiring.
Lastly, but certainly not least, thank you to the phenomenal people I work with every day protecting the cultural resources of our world. Your stories, antics, and kindness have built this series. Perhaps you will see your own tales woven into the fabric.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
V. S. Holmes is an international bestselling author. They created the BLOOD OF TITANS series and the NEL BENTLY BOOKS. Smoke and Rain, the first book in their fantasy quartet, won New Apple Literary's Excellence in Independent Publishing Award in 2015 and a Literary Titan Gold in 2020. Travelers is also included in the Peregrine Moon Lander mission as part of the Writers on the Moon Time Capsule. In addition, they have published short fiction in several anthologies.
As a disabled and non-binary human, they work as an advocate and educator for representation in SFF worlds. When not writing, they work as a contract archaeologist throughout the northeastern U.S. They live in a Tiny House with their spouse, a fellow archaeologist, their not-so-tiny dog, and own too many books for such a small abode.
www.vsholmes.com
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V. S. Holmes, Travelers (Stars Edge: Nel Bently Book 1)
