TYPOLOGY. Typology results from a study of the various kinds of objects fashioned by man and the sorting of them into categories. The objects in each category can be often further classified, a geographical, chronological or evolutionary basis being taken. For example, in the case of artefacts made by primitive man in the Fiji islands the typologist might begin by sorting out all the paddles. These would then be further classified according to their locality and age. On studying such a group of objects it is often possible to make out an evolutionary series in a tool family, a certain type being clearly derived from an earlier one and itself the parent of some further development.
In prehistory, a typological study of the artefacts made by man is one of the four methods which yield information before written documents existed; the other three being stratigraphy (q.v.), a study of the state of preservation of the artefacts found, and of the objects associated with them. The two latter methods are useful as checks on the information obtained from strati graphy and typology.
Although as shown above typology sometimes enables us to determine a chronological sequence, this is primarily obtained by the stratigraphical method; typology enables us to study sys tematically the industries belonging to the various cultures. By noting the peculiarities of the various tools which make up the industries we obtain type standards for each culture with which new finds, otherwise undatable, can be compared. Thus, it is found by experience that a particular implement, viz., the beaked
burin, is almost exclusively confined to industries which on strati graphical and other grounds, can be assigned to a Middle Aurigna cian culture. If then a new industry is discovered otherwise un datable, but including a large number of beaked burins, we can assume, with some probability, that the age is Middle Aurigna cian. Again, a certain type of celt, showing a rectangular cross section and elaborate trimming, can at once be recognized not only as being of Scandinavian origin, but also as belonging to a definite period of late Neolithic date.
Typology can be applied to styles and techniques of painting. Thus, for example, in Southern Rhodesia palimpsests of Bush man paintings occur. The typologist can observe several different styles which are always found occurring in the same stratigraphi cal sequence, painted one over the other. In this way a succession of art styles has been determined. (M. C. B.) TYR, the Scandinavian god of battle, was not such a promi nent figure in Northern mythology as among other Teutonic peoples. In Anglo-Saxon he was called Ti (Ti, Tiig, gen. Tiwes, whence "Tuesday") and equated with the Roman Mars. His Teutonic name is the same as the word for "god" in several Indo European languages, e.g., Lat. diuus, Lith. devas, Skr. devas; even in Old Norse the plural (tivar) was still used in the same sense. (See TEUTONIC PEOPLES, s. Religion, ad fin.)