Archaeology

Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through material remains such as tools, dwellings, and landscapes. It seeks to reconstruct past lifeways, economies, social relations, and beliefs by analyzing artifacts and their contexts. Archaeology is distinct from paleontology and from art history, though it overlaps with anthropology.

Fieldwork and analysis: Archaeologists locate sites through surveys and stratified excavations, then document contexts with careful recording of artifact provenance, stratigraphy, and occupation sequences. Dating methods combine relative approaches with absolute techniques such as radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology, and luminescence. Interpretations rely on artifact assemblages, site contexts, archival records, and ethnographic analogy when relevant.

Subfields and methods: The discipline includes classical, historic, and prehistoric archaeology, as well as specialists such as archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, lithic analysis, ceramic analysis, and bioarchaeology. Maritime, urban, and industrial archaeology study particular landscapes. Modern practice also uses remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), isotopic and DNA analyses, and 3D modeling.

Ethics and stewardship: Archaeology emphasizes responsible stewardship, documentation, and respect for descendant communities. Repatriation and legal protections under national laws and international conventions influence contemporary practice.

Significance: By interpreting material remains, archaeology illuminates technologies, trade networks, migration, daily life, and belief across time, providing long-term perspectives on human adaptation and cultural change alongside written records.