---
title: "Anthropic units"
chunk: 1/1
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_units"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T09:31:59.511854+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

The term anthropic unit (from Greek άνθρωπος, 'human') is used with different meanings in archaeology, in measurement and in social studies.


== In archaeology ==
In archaeology, anthropic units are strata or deposits of material containing a high proportion of man-made detritus. For example: "… 'degraded anthropic units', i.e., deposits produced by weathering and decay of fired bricks and mixed fill with non-selected inclusions …"


== In measurement ==
Following the coinage of the term "anthropic principle" by Brandon Carter in 1973–1974, units of measurement that are on a human scale are occasionally referred to as "anthropic units", as the example here: "… the metre and kilogram occupy a reasonably central position as far as symmetry in positive and negative powers of ten is concerned, emphasising that the SI units are natural anthropic units …"


== In social studies ==
In fields of study such as sociology and ethnography, anthropic units are identifiable groupings of people. For example: "Ethnographers have been accustomed to deal with the 'race', the 'tribe' and the 'nation' as social or anthropic units …"
and: "... among the more primitive anthropic units it seems a grave ineptitude for the Chukchees not to adopt the snowhouse building complex from the neighboring Eskimos"


== References ==