Anthropology
Open Access

Study of Archaeological Features and its Creation of Techniques

Stella James^{* *}Correspondence: Stella James, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas-South-western Medical School, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX, 75390-9070, USA, Email:

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Description

The scientific study of human activity via the recovery and examination of material culture is known as archaeology. Artifacts, buildings, bio facts or Eco facts, sites, and cultural landscapes make up the archaeological record. Both a social science and humanities subfield, archaeology is both.

In North America, archaeology is a subfield of anthropology, although in Europe it is frequently seen as a discipline in and of itself or as a subfield of other fields. Archaeologists research the prehistory and history of the human species, starting with the creation of the first stone tools at Lomekwi, in East Africa, 3.3 million years ago, and continuing up to the present. Palaeontology, the study of fossil remains, is distinct from archaeology. For understanding prehistoric societies, for which there are by definition no written records, archaeology is particularly crucial. The numerous objectives of archaeology include documenting and interpreting changes in human societies across time, reconstructing previous lifeways, and understanding the history of culture. The word archaeology, which is Greek in origin, literally translates as "the study of ancient history." To discover more about the past, the discipline entails surveying, excavation, and ultimately data analysis. Antiquarianism in Europe throughout the 19th century gave rise to archaeology, which has subsequently spread to other parts of the world. Nation-states have exploited archaeology to construct unique historical narratives. Since its inception, the field of archaeology has grown to include several specialised subdisciplines, such as marine archaeology, feminist archaeology, and archaeoastronomy, as well as a wide range of scientific methods to assist in archaeological research. However, there are still numerous issues that archaeologists today must deal with, including faux archaeology, artefact thievery, a lack of public interest, and hostility to the excavation of human remains. Archaeology is now recognised for its significance in promoting mental health and wellbeing, and initiatives like the UK's Operation Nightingale are employing the discipline to help service members who have just been injured in combat recuperate. Typically, an archaeological study comprises multiple distinct phases, each of which uses a different set of techniques. But before any actual work can start, the archaeologists must agree on a specific goal for what they hope to accomplish. Following this, a location is examined to learn as much as possible about it and the neighbourhood. Second, an excavation can be conducted to unearth any subterranean archaeological features. Thirdly, in an effort to fulfil the archaeologists' initial goals, the data gathered during the excavation is examined and assessed. The information should subsequently be publicised so that other archaeologists and historians can access it, however this is occasionally disregarded.

Creation of an archaeological technique

The creation of stratigraphy was one of 19th-century archaeology's greatest accomplishments.The new geological and paleontological research served as a source for the concept of overlapping strata dating back to different eras. With the excavation of Neolithic and Bronze Age sites, stratigraphy was first applied to archaeology. When the 19th century's third and fourth decades rolled around, the army commander and ethnologist was a key player in the development of archaeology into a rigorous discipline. This arranging style, intended to show the evolutionary patterns in human artefacts, was extremely important for the precise dating of the pieces. A field survey then follows (or alternatively, the archaeological project starts). A regional survey is an effort to systematically find undiscovered locations in a region. The attempt to methodically locate interesting things inside a site, such as homes and middens, is known as a site survey. These two objectives can both be fulfilled using essentially the same techniques.