This document summarizes evidence and challenges of studying infectious diseases through archaeological contexts. It discusses the earliest evidence of infectious diseases seen through iconography, skeletal markers, and literary sources. However, studying infectious diseases archaeologically is difficult as skeletal markers are non-specific and soft tissues are rarely preserved. Certain infections may not leave traces on bones. The document also outlines diseases like tuberculosis, leprosy, and syphilis that can sometimes be identified in skeletal remains, as well as plague, cholera, and parasites that are harder to detect archaeologically. It emphasizes the importance of studying infectious diseases in past societies to better understand disease evolution and transmission.