Archaeology

Archaeology is the study of how people lived in the past.  The word comes from the Ancient Greek for "the study" (logos, originally "word") of "ancient" (archaios) times.  Archaeologists use scientific method to explore material objects, or artifacts, made by past peoples.  They do this in order to better understand the makers' behavior and way of seeing their world.  Sometimes archaeologists can study the written records of past peoples; often, however, no such records exist.  Archaeologists find, collect, and study the material remains of past peoples, such as trash, tools, ornaments, and buildings.  In this way, they seek to reconstruct vanished worlds: ways of survival, religious beliefs, family structure, and social organization.