Need some help for anthro class a.s.a.p?

Question

O.k. here goes I have a to do a presentation on something that is involved in the four subfields of anthro (Culture, Linguistics, Physical, and Archaeology); I have literally no ideas on what to do it on. A friend of mine did it on the different tools that early man used and made. I can't do the same thing, so does anyone have any ideas.

Answer 1

The Maya are defined culturally as a linguistic group with several language families.  Their culture both ancient (archaeology) and modern (cultural anthro) has been studied extensively.  For the physical aspects, the archaeology has produced plenty of skeletal remains that have been studied in depth in laboratories.

Answer 2

you can do a project on the rosetta stone. the ancient egyptian artifact was discovered by the french in 1799.  the french scholar Jean Champollion used the greek transcriptions to decipher egyptian heiroglyphics.  Another ancient document you could do a presentation on would be the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Ancient biblical artifacts carved into leather.  Talk about how these artifacts changed the field of Anthropology, the cultural disputes over ownership of artifacts, and the current state of affairs today.

but you could do so many projects on anthropology.  Hunter gatherers like the Inuit.  Flushing Meadows of the Pacific.  Maori culture in New Zealand.  Pyramids.  Petra.  Jewish Zealots and their last stand against the Romans, (mass suicide.) Evolution of human trafficking.  Development of ebonics.  Comparing the swidden horticultural practices of the Yanomamo in Brazil and the honey gathering of a Pygmy tribe.  The two evolutionary theories of human "spreading."  Pompeii.  Prostitution vs the traditional Geisha culture of Japan.

or even a project about how CSI and Bones (TV shows) misrepresent what true forensic anthropologists do

Answer 3

How about clothing? or hunting techniques? I mean if your friend is doing the tool aspect, then do something that can use what your friend has previously done, tie it all together.

Answer 4

You can do it on cultural ecology. You can explain how groups adapt to their environment. Biologically, body type as well as many other things vary according to what environment a culture is in, this can be your physical part. Archaeologically, you can look at past societies in extreme environments. There is also a lot you can work with as far as linguistics go. For example, the Netsilik (cold weather adapted culture) have about 12 different words for snow, while we just have this one.

There's really a lot you can work with. Good luck!

Answer 5

One thing to consider is what to do that you can find information about.  I did a presentation on caves.  How they were used for shelter, cave painting, how they have helped preserve remains.  I read that cave dwellers actually slept in tents in caves and remains of these tents have been found.  You can question if cave painting were for worship or a type of message.  You can mention both Neanderthal and Cro-magnon.  If doing powerpoint some of the paintings are very nice images to use.  Good Luck.