"Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture."
Study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains.
Anthropology: The study of human societies and cultures, including their development and interactions with each other throughout history.
Archaeological Methods: The techniques used to excavate, survey, and analyze remains of past societies, including excavation, survey, remote sensing, artifact analysis, and dating.
Cultural Anthropology: The study of the beliefs, practices, and institutions of contemporary human societies.
Biological Anthropology: The study of human evolution, genetics, and physical characteristics.
Ethnography: The study of living cultures, including their social structures, beliefs, and customs.
World Archaeology: The study of the archaeology of various regions around the world.
Historical Archaeology: The study of the material culture of post-medieval societies, including the study of historic buildings, artifacts, and landscapes.
Archaeobotany: The study of plant remains found in archaeological contexts, including their use and significance in past societies.
Archaeozoology: The study of animal remains found in archaeological contexts, including their use and significance in past societies.
Geoarchaeology: The study of the interaction between humans and the environment, including the processes that shape landscapes and other geological features.
Material Culture: The study of objects and artifacts made by humans that provide a glimpse into the material culture of past societies.
Heritage Management: The study of the conservation and protection of archaeological sites and cultural heritage.
Archaeological Theory: The study of the conceptual frameworks that underpin archaeological research, including questions of interpretation and explanation.
Conservation Science: The study of the scientific methods and techniques used in the preservation of archaeological sites and artifacts.
Digital Archaeology: The use of computer technology to enhance archaeological research, including the use of virtual reality, geographic information systems (GIS), and other digital tools.
Classical Archaeology: Classical Archaeology, also known as Greco-Roman Archaeology, is the study of the ancient Greek and Roman societies, their cultures, and their accomplishments.
Biblical Archaeology: Biblical archaeology is the study of the archaeological evidence related to the Bible, such as the physical remains of cities, temples, and other structures mentioned in the Bible.
Historical Archaeology: Historical Archaeology focuses on the study of historic artifacts and sites that are less than 500 years old. Historical archaeology uses archaeological evidence to better understand the history of a particular time period or culture.
Underwater Archaeology: Underwater Archaeology is the study of underwater sites that show evidence of past human activities. This type of archaeology includes the study of shipwrecks, submerged cities, and underwater human settlements.
Industrial Archaeology: Industrial archaeology is the study of landscapes, structures, and artifacts associated with industrial activities, such as mills, factories, and mines.
Colonial Archaeology: Colonial archaeology is the study of the archaeological remains of colonial sites, including buildings, landscapes, and other material culture, in order to understand the dynamic between colonists and colonized.
Landscape Archaeology: Landscape archaeology is the study of the relationship between humans and the environment over time, from a local to a regional scale.
Zooarchaeology: Zooarchaeology is the study of animal remains from archaeological sites in order to understand the relationship between humans and the animal world in the past.
Forensic Archaeology: Forensic Archaeology involves the application of archaeological and anthropological methods and techniques to assist law enforcement agencies in locating and investigating human remains or other evidence of a crime.
Ethnoarchaeology: Ethnoarchaeology is the study of contemporary societies and cultures in order to understand patterns of behavior and material culture that can be applied to interpreting the archaeological record of earlier cultures.
Experimental Archaeology: Experimental Archaeology is the use of modern techniques to replicate ancient technologies, materials, and processes in order to better understand the past.
Cultural Resource Management Archaeology: Cultural Resource Management Archaeology is a type of applied archaeology that involves identifying, protecting, and managing cultural resources, including archaeological sites, sites of historical significance, and other cultural resources that may be threatened by development or other factors.
Environmental Archaeology: Environmental Archaeology is the study of the interaction between humans and their environment in the past, including the use of landscapes and natural resources.
"The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes."
"It is usually considered an independent academic discipline, but may also be classified as part of anthropology (in North America – the four-field approach), history, or geography."
"Archaeologists study human prehistory and history, from the development of the first stone tools at Lomekwi in East Africa 3.3 million years ago up until recent decades."
"Archaeology is distinct from paleontology, which is the study of fossil remains."
"Archaeology is particularly important for learning about prehistoric societies, for which, by definition, there are no written records."
"Prehistory includes over 99% of the human past, from the Paleolithic until the advent of literacy in societies around the world."
"Archaeology has various goals, which range from understanding culture history to reconstructing past lifeways to documenting and explaining changes in human societies through time."
"Derived from the Greek, the term archaeology literally means 'the study of ancient history.'"
"The discipline involves surveying, excavation, and eventually analysis of data collected, to learn more about the past."
"Archaeology developed out of antiquarianism in Europe during the 19th century and has since become a discipline practiced around the world."
"Archaeology has been used by nation-states to create particular visions of the past."
"Various specific sub-disciplines of archaeology have developed, including maritime archaeology, feminist archaeology, and archaeoastronomy."
"Nonetheless, today, archaeologists face many problems, such as dealing with pseudoarchaeology, the looting of artifacts, a lack of public interest, and opposition to the excavation of human remains."