| Archaeology studies human [[history]] from the development of the first stone [[tools]] in eastern Africa 3.4 million years ago up until recent decades. (Archaeology does not include the discipline of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleontology paleontology].) It is of most importance for learning about prehistoric societies, when there are no written records for historians to study, making up over 99% of total human history, from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeolithic Palaeolithic] until the advent of literacy in any given society. Archaeology has various [[goals]], which range from studying human [[evolution]] to cultural evolution and understanding culture [[history]]. | | Archaeology studies human [[history]] from the development of the first stone [[tools]] in eastern Africa 3.4 million years ago up until recent decades. (Archaeology does not include the discipline of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleontology paleontology].) It is of most importance for learning about prehistoric societies, when there are no written records for historians to study, making up over 99% of total human history, from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeolithic Palaeolithic] until the advent of literacy in any given society. Archaeology has various [[goals]], which range from studying human [[evolution]] to cultural evolution and understanding culture [[history]]. |
| The [[discipline]] involves surveyance, 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 science]]s, [[chemistry]], statistics, paleoecology, paleontology, paleozoology, paleoethnobotany, and paleobotany. | | The [[discipline]] involves surveyance, 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 science]]s, [[chemistry]], statistics, paleoecology, paleontology, paleozoology, paleoethnobotany, and paleobotany. |