An Introduction to Archaeology: What is Archaeology and Why is it Important?

What is archaeology? In the broadest definition possible, archaeology is the study of human history through the material culture left behind. The desire among human beings for knowledge of what came before has always been there. Just look at ancient cultures who often have myths relating the beginning of the universe and the human race. This interest in human history is not new, and the practice of archaeology is closely intertwined with numerous other disciplines such as history and anthropology. Where historians focus on written evidence from history and anthropologists undertake the study of humanity, archaeologists focus on human history as told through the physical evidence left behind including artefacts like pottery, tools, human remains, cave art, coins, figurines and jewellery, and larger things like the pyramids, tombs, temples and domestic architecture. Why is archaeology important? Why have people for thousands of years already been interested in digging up what has been left by t