Archaeology

Archaeology is the sub-discipline of anthropology that primarily explores human behavior through the materials left behind by past societies and cultures. Anthropological archaeologists explore a broad range of research topics, including the organization of past societies, human sustainability and resiliency, and cultural interactions. Archaeology is built on the principle that our knowledge of the past can help us build a better, more equitable future by recognizing through deep time how humans impact the environment and how inequality is created and perpetuated in societies. Active archaeologists work both in the field (e.g., survey and excavation) and in the laboratory (e.g., artifact geochemistry, botanical identification) across the world, investigating the time since our hominin ancestors initially made stone tools to the most recent past. Most archaeologists are employed by the private sector in cultural resources management, with a smaller proportion working in museums and universities.