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History vocabulary · Archaeology Basics

Midden

Meaning in history, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In history, midden means: A deposit built up through the repeated disposal of food remains and other discarded material.

In Turkish: atık birikintisi, çöp yığını

How it is used

The plural is middens; contents reflect disposal and preservation as well as consumption.

Example sentences

  1. Shell middens provided evidence of repeated visits to the shore.

    Accumulated waste records activities over more than one episode.

  2. Animal bones from the middens showed different patterns of butchery.

    Discarded remains can reveal food processing practices.

Common collocations

  • shell middens
  • excavate a midden
  • archaeological siteA place where evidence of past human activity has been found or preserved, such as the remains of a settlement, cemetery, temple or workshop.
  • artifactAn object made or shaped by people, such as a tool, coin, weapon or piece of jewellery, especially one studied for what it reveals about the past.

More terms: Archaeology Basics

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