Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (344 page)

The tendency for the earth's crust to maintain a state of near equilibrium so that, for example, during a glacial period the weight of the terrestrial ice-caps cause the land beneath to sink. When the ice melts the land rises again through the process known as
isostatic adjustment
. As a result there are alterations in the height of the land relative to the sea. Compare
EUSTASY
.

 
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In origin a semi-nomadic branch of the
SEMITES
that developed from the Khabiru-Hebrews who, according to biblical sources, escaped from Egypt under Moses and established themselves in Palestine under Joshua during the 13th century
bc
. By the 10th century they had conquered the
CANAANITES
and the
PHILISTINES
to become a powerful kingdom with a capital at Jerusalem. Soon afterwards the single kingdom split into two parts, Judah and Israel, and remained so until Judah was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 bc and Israel was taken by the Babylonians in 587 bc.

 
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South American farming cultures found in the Lower and Middle Amazon areas of Amazonia and tentatively dated to
c.
ad 1300–1500. Characterized by their ceramic assemblages which belong to the Incised and Punctuate Horizon Style of the Amazon basin. At the type-site of Itacoatiara, Brazil, fine-line incision and punctuate bands of decoration were arranged alternately on the exteriors of tall vessels and on the interiors of shallow open bowls.

 
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Latin term for a judge, the name given by Roman writers to the chief of the
VISIGOTHS
.

 
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Animal tusk, usually from the elephant, walrus, or narwhal. In Palaeolithic times, tusk from mammoth was also used.

 
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A vaulted, open-fronted hall or reception room facing onto a courtyard in a Persian palace.

 
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