Archaeologists study human prehistory and history, from the development of the first stone tools at Lomekwi, eastern Africa, 3.3 million years ago up until recent decades. Archaeology as a field is distinct from the discipline of paleontology, the study of fossil remains.

Archaeology is particularly important for learning about prehistoric societies, for whom there may be no written records to study. Prehistory includes over 99% of the human past, from the Paleolithic until the advent of literacy in societies across the world. Archaeology has various goals, which range from understanding culture history to reconstructing past lifeways to documenting and explaining changes in human societies through time.

The discipline involves surveying, excavation and eventually analysis of data collected to learn more about the past. In broad scope, archaeology relies on cross-disciplinary research.

It draws upon: 

• anthropology
• history
• art history
• classics
• ethnology 
• geography 
• geology
• linguistics 
• semiology 
• physics 
• information sciences 
• chemistry
• statistics 
• paleoecology
• paleontology 
• paleozoology 
• paleoethnobotany
• paleobotany

Featured Student

Charlie Holder
Sophomore / BS

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Design is wonderful, it's what keeps us engaged and creative and energized. Architecture has the power to shape entire cities and change the course of human history.