| A | B |
|---|
| life science | encompasses all scientific pursuits related to living organisms |
| archaeology | The study of past human life as revealed by preserved relics |
| Artifacts | Objects made by humans such as tools, weapons, containers, etc |
| geology | study of earth's history as revealed in the rocks that make up the earth |
| paleontology | The study of life’s history as revealed in the preserved remains of once-living plants and animals |
| internal test | Tests to see whether or not the document in question is internally consistent |
| Aristotle's dictum | “ The benefit of the doubt is to be given to the document itself, not assigned by the critic to himself.” |
| external test | This test asks “Does the document contradict other known historical facts?” |
| bibliographic tests | In this most important test, the work must contain either direct eyewitness accounts or a second-hand report based on eye witness accounts |
| known age | The age of an artifact as determined by a date printed on it or a reference to the artifact in a work of history |
| dendrochronology | the process of counting and observing variations in tree rings to determine tree age |
| master tree ring patterns | recorded weather patterns Archaeologists have cataloged master tree rings patterns allowing them to date certain artifacts to as far back as 6600 B.C |
| radiometric dating | Using a radioactive process to determine the age of an item |
| absolute age | The calculated age of an artifact from dendrochronology or radiometric dating that is used to determine when the artifact was made |
