Question

What are the goals of archaeology?

Answer 1

Archaeology is the study of people in the past through the materials they have left behind. The human past extends far earlier than is covered in written records. For most of humanity's time on earth, the only record of who we were, where and how we lived, and where we came from is buried. Even for more recent history, many aspects of people's lives are never recorded. By examining sites and artifacts, archaeologists discover our hidden history and tell the story of the human experience. Archaeology is a bridge between the past, the present and the future. Items lost or left behind by the past occupants of sites give archaeologists clues to the past and often help them to understand and interpret the present and the future. The objects we leave behind today may tell future archaeologists about the cultures, values and lifestyles of the early 21st century.