What is Archaeology?  Archaeology can be defined as the study of
the past. Unlike History, however, archaeology deals more with
evidence than record. Archaeologists look for clues to how
ancient cultures developed, lived, and died. These ancient
civilizations often have no written record, or none has ever
been found. The archaeologist must therefore study and
reconstruct the past as completely as possible using the given
evidence. Artifacts are the heart of archaeology. Artifacts are
remnants of the past. These can range from buildings and cities,
to clay pots and tools, to mummies and tombs. The archeologist
must piece together the clues of the past, using artifacts,
documents, and sometimes modern culture and tendencies, to try
to form some picture as to what life was like in these ancient
cultures.   Back to Guided Tour