What is Archaeology?

 

Archaeology is the scientific study of ancient peoples, including their culture and their relationship with the environment.

 

The purpose of archaeology is to attempt to reconstruct prehistoric lifeways. That is, to understand how humans lived in the past, including the food they ate, the places they lived, the clothes they wore and tools they used, as well as their art, religion, and family life.

 

Archaeologists do this in many different ways, including the excavation of archaeological sites, but also through studying the ecology, geology, and climate of the past, as well as learning about the living descendants of ancient peoples.

 

The study of archaeology includes the study of all things human, and all the things that make us human. When we study the past, we are traveling through time, but without moving. Looking around at the places we live today and trying to imagine them as they were in the past, and imagine how humans like us would have lived in that past.

 

Why Do Scientists Study Archaeology?

 

Humans that lived in the past have many things to teach us today. They coped with some of the same struggles that we do now, had some of the same dreams, and asked some of the same questions. Knowledge about how they dealt with problems of the past may help us solve problems in the present, and allow us to avoid problems in the future

 

The study of the past also honors those who have come before. By reaching an understanding of how ancient peoples lived their lives, we cannot help but to respect and admire their strength, courage and intelligence

 

The knowledge we can gain about the past, as well as the actual physical remains, are all part of our shared cultural heritage. These Cultural Resources belong to all humans. Cultural resources include the artifacts archaeologists find, but even more important is the information they can gain about past lifeways. This information is the real resource, and artifacts are just the beginning of the story

 

What Do Archaeologists Do?

 

In the process of pursuing their goals to study and protect our cultural resources, archaeologists collect information in many ways.

 

They perform cultural resource pedestrian surveys to determine the presence of archaeological sites and features by examining the surface of the ground for artifacts and signs of buried materials.

 

They perform cultural resource monitoring to ensure that cultural resources are not destroyed during construction events.

 

They perform testing and data recovery of established archaeological sites to collect evidence, artifacts and materials for later study, and to make our best effort to preserve as much information as possible.

 

They perform archival research, searching through old documents, libraries, and records in an effort to learn about historical events and people.

 

They work with local communities, government agencies, private companies, and tribes in preservation efforts to protect these resources for the public good.

 

They work with educators and teachers to instill the knowledge we gain to all people, that they may appreciate the lives of fellow humans.

 

Data Collection: What Does It All Mean?

 

The actual collection of data can involve many people and scientific specialties. All things humans do are within the area of study of archaeologists, which means they want to collect information regarding many aspects of a society. 

 

They might study pottery or ceramics to determine what sorts of food people ate and what types of resources they stored, but ceramics might also tell us about their technological development, trade networks, and even something about the level of complexity of the society as a whole.

 

Stone tools may also tell them about natural resource collection mechanisms and trade routes, but will also tell them about the types of food they were hunting and preparing.

 

Plant and animal remains give them direct evidence of peoples diet and nutrition.

 

Pollen remains tell them about the environmental conditions at the time people were living at a site

 

Organic material and charcoal, as well as other sources of information, will give them absolute dates as to a sites occupation

 

The outlines of structures and wall remnants tell them about the types of houses people lived in, and constructions such as canals, roads, and ceremonial structures give them further insight into people’s lives

 

Skeletal remains tell them direct information about the actual humans who lived in the past, including their age, sex, height, and weight, as well as personal things such as the injuries they may have suffered, whether females had given birth, and the overall health of the society

 

Saving the Past for the Future

 

Cultural Resources tell the history of all humans, and they belong to all of us.

 

Cultural Resources are a non-renewable resource.

 

Once a site is destroyed, the information that it held about our ancestors can never be retrieved. 

 

We must all act as Stewards to help preserve the archaeological record, and act as both caretakers of and advocates for the benefit of all people

 

Archaeologists are committed to Public Education and Outreach, and endeavor to reach out and participate in cooperative efforts with others interested in the archaeological record with the aim of improving the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the record.

 

To find out more, visit the Arizona Archaeological Council Web Page at:

http://www.arizonaarchcouncil.org