Archaeology

The scientific study of past human lives by means of researching physical objects. Archaeologyis considered a division or subdiscipline of anthropology. Archaeologists examine, explain, and reconstruct past societies and cultures by scrutinizing the material evidence of their existence. Excavation, locating and removing articles from a concentrated geographic region is a common methodology. As science and technology become more sophisticated, so too do the abilities of archaeologists to date and detect artifacts. By piecing together evidence, from architecture to diet, archaeologists record and analyze the way humans lived in the past and the societies in which they lived. The work of archaeologists can be controversial as conflicts arise regarding ownership of found artifacts. The discipline of archaeology has also been subject to challenges regarding its tradition of Eurocentric analyses.