Archeology (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what archeology is, its object of study and the task of an archaeologist. In addition, what are its characteristics and subdisciplines.

What is archeology?

Archeology is Science dedicated to the study of ancient societiesthrough the finding, description and interpretation of their preserved remains, such as ruins, utensils, works of art, ceremonial objects and even human remains. His name comes from the Greek Archaios“Old”, and Logos“knowledge”.

Given the nonspecific of its field, archeology is often considered a social science, a subcampus of anthropology or even humanities. This is also partly due to the fact that this discipline gives hands to knowledge from many other sciences and disciplines, such as topography, geology, history or geography.

Thanks to the great findings of archeology, today We know much more of past civilizations And we can understand much better the dynamics of our sociological and cultural history as a species.

What studies archeology?

There are several points of view regarding what this discipline studies. According to some, your attention focuses on the study of the material remains of the already missing civilizations.

Others consider that this is just a method. For them the true object of study are the social and cultural changes that humanity has lived Throughout history.

For others it is the scientific reconstruction of the life of ancient peoples.

History of archeology

Archeology Born from the formalization of the fiscal trade during the nineteenth century. What was simply the fondness for the things of the past, as a collector or even seller of antiques, became a discipline.

As a consequence, this trade acquired formal rigor and scientific methods applied. In the beginning this discipline was very close to the philosophy of positivism, which demanded objective and scientific considerations, often unattainable given the nature of the study.

At the moment, Contemporary archaeologists have understood the subjective value of their work. Although a scientific knowledge is pointed out, the archaeologist uses to certainly his subjectivity when interpreting the anthropological treasures that he despises.

What does an archaeologist do?

The work of an archaeologist can be diverse and his work can be oriented to different areas:

Teaching Transmits accumulated knowledge.
Investigation. It generates knowledge through the analysis of the results obtained by third parties.
Field. It deals with the search for archaeological remains.

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The latter normally includes three stages:

Prospecting. It is about the exploration of the different territories in which there is likely to have some archaeological site, delimiting the land to be studied and preparing the needs of an eventual excavation.
Excavation. The next step involves the deep record of the area where the site is, to extract from the land anthropological remnants of value, which can range from fragments of a vessel, to old tombs or codices buried in caves.
Laboratory. Once the anthropological remains are extracted, its thorough study and preservation are carried out, work that is initially carried out in a laboratory, where they are washed and consolidated to avoid deterioration, and after a thorough record of its particularities, the cataloging is proceeded to allocate it to museums, research centers or universities.

Why is archeology important?

Archeology It is essential for the understanding of the human pastsince not always available written records or relics. This is particularly true for Ágragra cultures (without writing) or that disappeared long ago, as often occurs with ancient peoples.

Thanks to archeology, We can find, study and understand the remains of our cultural ancestors. In this way you can also understand who we are, where we come from and perhaps where our future is directed.

Archaeological sites

Some old remains (such as fragments of tools, structures or even human remains) have been preserved over the centuries underground. When a set of these elements is concentrated in one place, we are facing an archaeological site, also called settlement or archaeological site.

So that a set of ancient remains is an archaeological site, It must be the product of human action and therefore attest to the presence of previous cultures. On the contrary, if it is only animal remains, such as dinosaur bones, it is studied by another discipline, such as paleontology.

Although it is about formerly populated territoriessome archaeological sites are found in areas uninhabited today. However, others are under current urbanizations where many people live, without knowing what is hidden below.

Archaeological excavations

The excavations They are probably part of the most exciting work of archeology. They involve physical incursion into different territories, some even under water or within caves, in pursuit of the recovery of archaeological findings.

These excavations They can last months and even yearsand involve a massive and interdisciplinary work team. In addition to including experts who deal with the remains found and appropriate excavation techniques, it includes specialists in people’s safety, preservation of what was found and environmental standards to consider.

Archaeological dating

Once archaeological remains of value have been found during the excavations, their study of their study is often required. Among other things is determined by his time of priest. The latter is known as dating and can be done through various techniques, for example:

Dendrocronology. This is the study of the internal rings that can be observed in the cross cuts of the wood of the trunks of the trees, in order to determine, comparing it with other wooden remains whose age is known, the approximate age at which the tree lived.
Carbon dating 14. Carbon atoms on the planet exist in different isotopes or versions, one of which is carbon 14. This isotope is extremely durable (it has a half -life of 5730 years) already judge by its proportion present in the archaeological remains, the age they have can be calculated.
Datation by potassium-argon. Another method dependent on the atomic life of matter, this time of the potassium-40 and argon-40 atoms, durable isotopes and present in certain volcanic rocks. They are extremely useful to date very old archaeological or paleontological remains, for which carbon-14 does not work.

Current problems of archeology

Archeology today faces many inconveniences that hinder their work, such as The destruction of deposits because of mining, agriculture or urban construction. In addition, it is affected by the looting of artifacts.

On the other hand, In some countries it is harmed by lack of interest and financing. Excavations are usually expensive and last a long time before throwing their first results, so state financing is usually essential.

Archeology subdisciplines

Archeology has numerous branches, the main ones of which are:

Underwater archeology. That which is interested in the remains of shipwrecks or populations located in regions currently submerged.
Archeometry The branch of archeology that deals with understanding the physical, chemical and biological phenomena that condition the preservation of the deposits, and that allow the excavators to perform a better work or even date their findings from the surrounding material.
Egyptology. Dedicated to the study of ancient Egyptian civilization, as well as the recognition of its hieroglyphic writing, its traditions, its imaginary and its particular architecture.
Ernoarcheology. Exercise of ethnology or anthropology through archaeological techniques and knowledge, which is why it is nicknamed as “living archeology”: it deals with the study of still living and contemporary darkness, but preindustrial.

Examples of archaeological findings

Some of the main archaeological findings in history have been:

The Machu Pichu. Located in the Peruvian mountain range, it is a set of ruins of an old Andean town or llaqtabuilt around the 15th century and discovered in the twentieth century.
Rosetta stone. A granite stone from 196 a. C., in which a decree of the pharaoh Ptolemy V, published in the city of Memphis is registered. This decree is found in three types of writing: Egyptian hieroglyphs, demotic writing and ancient Greek, so it serves as a dictionary principle.
Pompeii ruins. Located around the Vesubio volcano, which erupted in the year 79 d. C. and buried in Lava the inhabitants of the Roman town of Pompeya, preserving them forever. It was unearthed in 1738.
Lascaux cave. A system of caves located in Dordoña (France), in which a set of samples of rock and Paleolithic art was discovered in 1940.

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