Artifact (archaeology)

An artifact[a] or artefact (British English) is a general term for an item made or given shape by humans, such as a tool or a work of art, especially an object of archaeological interest.

The same item may be called all or any of these in different contexts, and more specific terms will be used when talking about individual objects, or groups of similar ones.

There are archaeological sites and museums that obtain artifacts for physical evidence through past traces of civilizations, as well as norms and rituals, where objects attested a part of material culture.

Artifacts can come from any archaeological context or source such as: Examples include stone tools, pottery vessels, metal objects such as weapons and items of personal adornment such as buttons, jewelry and clothing.

Natural objects, such as fire cracked rocks from a hearth or plant material used for food, are classified by archaeologists as ecofacts rather than as artifacts.

Ecofacts, also referred to as biofacts, are objects of archaeological interest made by other organisms, such as seeds or animal bone.

Examples include seashells moved inland or rounded pebbles placed away from the water action that made them.

An example of this would be utilizing the position and depth of buried artifacts to determine a chronological timeline for past occurrences at the site.

[2] Modern archaeologists take care to distinguish material culture from ethnicity, which is often more complex, as expressed by Carol Kramer in the dictum "pots are not people.

Stone artifacts occur often throughout prehistoric times and are, therefore, a crucial aspect in answering archaeological questions about the past.

On the surface, lithic artifacts can help archaeologists study how technology has developed throughout history by showing a variety of tools and manufacturing techniques from different periods of time.

Faunal remains can also provide information on social status, ethnic distinctions and dieting from previous complex societies.

Archaeologists are focused on excavation, context and lab work when it comes to artifacts, while collectors are motivated by varying personal desires.