What is Archaeology?
This introduction explains archaeological methods, why heritage matters, and how work protects community histories.
Archaeology is the study of human cultures prior to written records.
Archaeology studies thousands of years of human culture through physical material remains. In British Columbia, this is referred to as pre-contact, the period of time before indirect or direct contact with European explorers. The period called proto-contact is defined as the period when First Nation culture began to change due to European influence. Examples include trade goods that travelled on established trade networks, salvaged items from explorers' ships that washed up on the coast, and viruses that spread disease rapidly from one community to the next.
Post-contact is synonymous with the historic period, and in British Columbia that began approximately 1750.
Archaeology is a science that studies soil, fauna and flora, uses remote sensing, and applies dating techniques such as radiocarbon dating, accelerated mass spectrometry and GIS-based mapping software.
Archaeological sites are everywhere, and as the science advances, so do the techniques used to identify new types of sites and generate new data.
Archaeological sites are limited; there are a finite number of them. They contain sensitive cultural information and they are easily damaged. This is why they are protected under the Heritage Conservation Act in British Columbia.
Under this legislation, anyone who knowingly disturbs an archaeological site can be criminally charged and face fines up to 1 million dollars and possibly jail.
In addition, archaeological sites contain artifacts. There is a serious problem globally with trade in antiquities, and B.C. is not immune. This is partly why archaeological sites are kept confidential and only authorized professional archaeologists are permitted to access the locations of known archaeological sites. The excavation or removal of any object from an archaeological site without a permit is illegal, and the sale of any object from an archaeological site is also illegal.
Why is archaeology important?
Because we are a complex species that seeks to understand our collective past and develop a clearer understanding of how our culture has developed and continues to develop through time. Through this knowledge, we gain a deeper sense of who we are as a species, as distinct cultural groups and as individuals in our capacity to perceive the vast range of human experience.
Where do the artifacts go that are excavated under permit by an archaeologist?
They usually go to the Royal BC Museum so that all British Columbians have an opportunity to learn from and appreciate our past.
