About Archaeological Research

In the US, archaeology is a part of Anthropology - the study of humankind. Anthropology is subdivided into four fields: Cultural Anthropology, Physical Anthropology, Linguistics, and Archaeology. The unifying theme for these subfields is the concept of culture. Culture is our language and traditions; styles of dress; housing and transportation; beliefs, religions, governments and sciences; our families, clans, tribes, and clubs; our towns; and our nations. So, how does archaeology fit into all of this?

Cultural anthropology is the study of societies that exist today - how are they organized; who marries whom? Physical anthropology studies the biological adaptations of humans, and our relationships to other animals by studying anatomy and genetics. Linguists study language: where various language groups are located, how they are related, and how languages change over time. Archaeology combines all of these - with a focus on the past.

Archaeologists may study living cultures (ethnoarchaeology), or historical records and materials (historical archaeology), but more typically they study the "things" that have been preserved. "Things" included both architecture and artifacts - items of material culture made by a culture. Many of these things, especially buildings, preserve well. These "things" can include magnificent things, but more commonly concern the lost, the worn out, broken, discarded, or abandoned things of the past. Archaeologists are scientific "garbage collectors," if you will.

Trash, from a pile of recent metal containers to old fragments of pottery vessels, may seem worthless. But things like pottery or basketry are clues toward understanding technological knowledge and development. Decorations on pots can provide clues as to location and time period of their manufacture. In short, garbage contains a wealth of information about culture. Through time, there have been thousands of cultures. We can learn from all of them - about them, and about ourselves.

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