Archaeology studies past and present cultures and cultural heritage preservation by unearthing, documenting, and analyzing material remains.

Archaeologists study material remains, or the things that a culture leaves behind after they have left or disappeared. Think of the items in your own home that may still be around in a few hundred or a few thousand years. Archaeologists find these kinds of items from past cultures, from weapons and tools, to bones from slaughtered animals and fossilized seeds and plants. They study each artifact in context, and use that information to determine things about the culture that left them behind. What kind of food did they eat? What kind of tools did they make, and how did they make them? What sort of structures did they build? What did their artwork and symbols mean? Archaeologists study the remains of cultures from millions of years ago to the recent past.
To learn more about careers in these other areas of anthropology, check out the careers page. Consult with a faculty member on elective and minor courses and experiences to help prepare.
Courses in Archaeology
- ANTH 105: Archaeology & World Prehistory
- ANTH 350: Method & Theory in Archaeology
- ANTH 351: Artifact Analysis
- ANTH 352: Experimental Archaeology
- ANTH 353: Archaeology of Warfare
- ANTH 354/654: Cultural Resources Management
- ANTH 357: Field Archaeology
- ANTH 358: Archaeology Lab
- ANTH 359: Special Topics in Archaeology
- ANTH 394: Archaeology of North America Regions
- ANTH 395: Mesoamerican Archaeology