In ancient societies, salt was considered a valuable ---------- because it could preserve food.

Certain symbols carved on pottery may ---------- the social status of the person who used it.

Researchers treat the cultural phases of a settlement as --------- units to avoid mixing unrelated artifacts.

Pottery from the northern region has a --------- style that makes it easy to identify.

As scientists analyzed the soil samples, new evidence began to --------- about how the community lived.

The collapse of the empire was partly caused by the breakdown of its transport --------

The archaeologists dug through several --------- of soil to reach the earliest settlement remains.

Climate change forced some prehistoric groups to -------- to more fertile regions.

Researchers found strong ------------ between the burial customs of this culture and those of neighboring tribes.

In many ancient settlements, agriculture was the ------------ source of livelihood.

Archaeologists managed to -------- the route taken by traders using pottery fragments found along the coast.

Early communities used storytelling to-------------knowledge from one generation to the next.

The excavation revealed ------------ similarities between early drawings and later religious symbols.