You are to write a research paper on an archaeological mystery. For the purposes of this paper an
archaeological mystery is an issue about the past for which there is (or has been) significant
public interest and confusion and/or contention.
Questions:
● Your paper should address the following questions:
● What is the “mystery”?
● What are some of the hypotheses that non-archaeologists and archaeologists have employed to understand the mystery?
● What techniques and data have non-archaeologists and archaeologists used to assess the mystery?
● Are any of the “tricks” discussed in class (straw man, etc.) being used? If so, which ones and how are they used?
● In the end is this really a mystery? If so, what makes it so?
● What is our best understanding of the mystery today?