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Chapter Summary
Archaeology is a sub-field of anthropology that is primarily concerned with reconstructing past cultures. Archaeologists conduct surveys to identify ancient sites and regions of past human occupation. Through excavation, they recover artifacts, features, and other remains of human activity, with particular attention paid to the provenance and context in which these items are discovered. Final analyses of remains are typically conducted within laboratories. The state of preservation of archaeological materials, however, is highly dependent upon the local environment, climatic conditions, and the presence of natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, floods, or other factors.
When analyzing material remains, artifacts and structures from a particular time and place at a site are grouped together in assemblages; similar assemblages from many sites are grouped into archaeological cultures. These cultures are constructed by archaeologists to reflect patterns in data. As such, they cannot be assumed to represent specific ethnic groups in the past.
In conjunction with cultural anthropologists, archaeologists have developed classification systems to describe various types of societies based upon such things as their subsistence strategy and form of socio-political organization. These include bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states.
Analyses of archaeological materials have changed over time, from processual to interpretive concerns. Archaeologists are also increasingly involved in feminist archaeology and gender archaeology in an effort to understand gender relations in the past. Collaborative and community-based initiatives are also supported to create a more inclusive archaeology that takes ethics and local concerns and perspectives into account. In addition, many Canadian institutions are working with Indigenous communities to build better shared understandings of the past and help reconciliation through the repatriation of artifacts. This work is also part of the broader trend towards improving policies surrounding Cultural Resource Management (CRM), treating heritage as a necessary step in property development.
Learning Objectives
In this chapter, the student should learn to do the following:
- understand the methods that archaeologists employ to conduct fieldwork and excavation;
- outline the various natural processes that can preserve or destroy archaeological sites and associated material remains;
- discuss how archaeologists can help determine the subsistence strategies of past societies and why this is important;
- discuss the contributions of feminist and gender archaeologists to the study of past human societies and their material remains;
- discuss how many traditional methods and theoretical orientations of archaeologists are being reconsidered today;
- understand the importance of CRM and integrating archaeological work in everyday life;
- outline the efforts made by archaeologists to engage with local communities and peoples.