Archaeology Glossary
- Archaeology
- The study of past cultures based upon careful examination of physical remains.
- Artifact
- An object made or used by people.
- Context
- Physical relationship of an artifact to other artifacts and/or features; an artifact's context can provide clues about its identity and function Feature--a disturbance in or on the ground resulting from human activity.
- Feature
- A disturbance in or on the ground resulting from human activity.
- Grid
- A series of squares established across the site prior to excavation that provides reference points for recording the details of the excavation.
- Historic
- Term referring to groups of people having a written language.
- Midden
- Garbage or trash dump.
- Prehistoric
- Term referring to groups of people who have no written language or are not in contact with other groups that do have written languages.
- Profile
- Vertical face of an excavation unit.
- Sherd
- A piece of broken pottery.
- Site
- Any place showing signs of human occupation.
- Stratigraphy
- Layers of soils in an archaeological site. That which is closer to the surface is "younger", that which is lower is "older".
