Meaning and Definition of Experimental Archaeology | Concept and What is.
What is experimental archaeology?
It is a branch of archaeology that aims to verify if it is indeed possible to build artifacts that are described in many ancient treaties and reproduce those who already are known that they were manufactured with didactic purposes, to replace those that have deteriorated or to make exhibitions in museums. Experimental archaeology is one of the most recent and innovative scientific disciplines, to the point that in many places there is a true "fever" to reconstruct ancient machines.
I remember very well as of child fascinated me seeing that an archaeologist, hitting rocks, getting a very basic knife and like other showed as a knife was of Miss wearing the material by friction, thus showed how there was the transition from the Paleolithic period and the Neolithic stone age. There are much experiments conducted to check if it is possible to get fire and which is the most efficient way to obtain it, in this regard, it was always very speculative how could be obtained, especially in prehistoric times and the only evidence of such as the process was basically in the procedures used by the Americans, Australian aborigines and many places in the world.
I also remember how up to recently it could rebuild the "Antikythera mechanism" or "Antikythera machine" thanks to a series of studies with a CT (computed tomography) machine, showing that the device was a complex astronomical clock allowing to predict eclipses and other astronomical phenomena; It is believed was manufactured by the great ArquÃmedes of Syracuse. Also, we have studied many of the inventions attributed to Archimedes and other inventors of antiquity and can prove its existence in some cases and denying others.
One of the most interesting experiments has to do with the construction of pyramids, these monumental structures have always stimulated the imagination of builders and engineers and there are few theories that explain its construction, but it is little done to prove it. Reproductions of works of art such as statues of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, that was built to protect the originals were deteriorating pollution are also impressive.
As you can see the experimental archaeology is a multidisciplinary science that today has several fields of study: art, hunting, fire, metallurgy, stone tools and the Armory. The Armory is perhaps the most recent of all the disciplines that investigates the archaeology because many modern inventions come from the military disciplines. Although he is not a finding of the rank of archaeology, the recent rescue of the "USS Monitor", the first battleship of war used by the United States Navy during the civil war. During the battle of Hampton Road faced with another battleship, the "CSS Virginia", of the Confederate States Navy who was the first of its kind in the world although it was indeed the "CSS Merrimack" reconstructed.
In this battle the USS Monitor left Victor while he only had only two cannons mounted on a rotating Tower while the CSS Virginia had ten cannons, four on each side, one in front and one behind. It was technically a draw but the Mission of the CSS Virginia was not fulfilled, hence in reality the USS Monitor won. As well the CSS Virginia was scrapped after the war and the USS Monitor was lost during a storm in the sea dying sixth of its crew members. In 1973 it was located and rescued other parts between the turret and the anchor.
And for which so much history about this example? It turns out that around the USS Monitor not only there is a nice story, there are over two hundred patents, mostly on the construction of the turret and many of which can't have been played, there the importance of rescue her and try to verify its operation. The turret of the USS Monitor was the first of its kind and which would lead to the turrets of modern warships. From there the experimental archaeological work conducted with this vessel.
Translated for educational purposes.
