For basic introduction of archaeology

1. Definition, Aims, Scope &
Relevance of Archaeology
Module-1:- Introduction to Archaeology
Sachin Kr. Tiwary
sachintiwary@bhu.ac.in

2. What we are going to discuss ?
1. Definition of Archaeology,
2. Aims of Archaeology,
3. Scope of Archaeology &
4. Relevance of Archaeology.

4. 1. Definition of Archaeology-
The word archaeology comes from the Greek
- archaia/ archaeos (“ancient things”) &
-logos (“theory” or “science”).
Archaeology is a science involving the study of human past through material remains.
The study of the human past, through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material
remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human
remains and landscapes.
Archaeology is the study of cultures that lived in the past. It is a subfield of anthropology,
the study of human cultures.
Archaeology is the study of human behavioural and cognitive systems to understand the
cultural changes or processes that happened in the past through material remains.
Archaeology is primarily concerned with reconstructing extinct cultures from the material
remains of past human behavior, or the things people made or used and left behind.
These remains are called artifacts.
An antiquity, according to the act, is an article or object over a 100 years old (75 years in
case of manuscripts and documents). Antiquities that must be registered if over a 100
years old. (Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972)
Antiquities includes sculptures in stone, terracotta, metals, ivory and bone, paintings,
manuscripts, textiles have been left out entirely from the legal definition of an antiquity.

5. 2. Aims/Goals/Focus of Archaeology
1. Archaeology is primarily concerned
with reconstructing extinct cultures from
the material remains of past human
behavior, or the things people made or
used and left behind.
2. The goals of archaeology are to document
and explain the origins and development of
human culture, understand culture history,
chronicle cultural evolution, and study
human behavior and ecology.
Aims of
Archaeology
Reconstructing
Cultural
History
Reconstructing
Past Life Ways
Explaining
Cultural
Process or
Change
Understanding
the
Archaeological
Record
What
(Cultural
History)
Where
(Cultural
History)
When
(Cultural
History)
How
(life way)
Why
(Culture
Process)

6. Aims of
Archaeology
Form
Function
Process
1. To consider the form of archaeological
evidence and its distribution in time and
space.
2. To determine the function of archaeological
evidence and thereby construct models of
ancient behaviour.
3. To delimit the process of culture and
determine how and why cultures change.
2. Aims of Archaeology

7. Archaeological
Methods
THEORY
METHOD
In METHOD, the focus is on the collection of data.
In THEORY, the focus is on the interpretation or
giving a better explanation on the collected
material.

8. I. The scope of Archaeology is very broad. It
has various field of study like archives,
museology, numismatics, epigraphy, art,
architecture, iconography.
II. Archaeologist carry out various tasks like
initial fieldwork, Exploration, Salvage
excavation of sites and their categorization
besides dating and interpretation of
excavated materials.
III. Archaeologists study all physical traces
encountered both in excavations and
explorations as movable and immovable
objects and also tangible and intangible
evidences.
IV. Archaeologists follow certain specific
methods and a body of theories to get a
comprehensive picture of the material and
nonmaterial life of the people.
3. Scope of Archaeology

9. Scope
Tangible
evidence
Future
Analysis
Nation
Pride
Conservation-
Preservation
Site
Museums
International
Relation
Jobs
Gradual
development of
technology-
Agriculture, Textile,
Metal, Stone etc
3. Scope of Archaeology

10. 4. Relevance of Archaeology
I. Archaeology has the potential to provide new information on
the human past, solidify one's ties to their social or national
heritage, and provide economic means to locations all across the
world.
II. There are many aspects of archaeology that yield practical
benefits in the present, from developing sites for cultural tourism
to creating the raw material for museum exhibits to promoting
social justice for marginalized groups.
III. The findings of an archaeologist unite the humanity, remove the
disparity, implant the scientific temper and advance the society
in all spheres of human life.
IV. For the advancement of humanity and open them to the
scholarly world and to the general public without any personal
benefit, a critical ingredient in scientific archaeology.
V. Many of the collectors and treasure hunters regard themselves as
legitimate archaeologists and it is the curse of the archaeology
today. Several south Indian bronzes, coins, copper plates and
sculptures were looted to meet the greed of the Museums of the
developed countries without understanding that they were
collecting a part of an endangered, rapidly vanishing and never be
replaced cultural heritage of a particular community or nation.

11. Suggestive Readings:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1jHHgtadf0