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What is Archaeology?

Archaeology is the study of man’s past. Around the world, this study is usually divided into either prehistoric archaeology or historic archaeology, depending upon the time period involved. In California, historic archaeology begins in 1542, and therefore incorporates only the last four or five hundred years. Prehistoric archaeology incorporates everything earlier, and extends backwards in time for at least 12,000 years, to the time of earliest human arrival within what is now our state.

All archaeological thinking, discussion, and writing relates either to archaeological evidence or to archaeological interpretation. Archaeological evidence is the physical remains of past activities, while archaeological interpretation is the explanation of such physical evidence in the attempt of reconstructing past lifeways. For example: CAL FIRE finds an archaeological site on a Timber Harvesting Plan and carefully records the artifacts visible on its surface. The site occupies a small, flat, open area along a creek, and the following artifacts were observed: Two chert projectile points ("arrowheads"), three chert scrapers, 47 chert flakes, and two granite handstones with ground surfaces. The preceding artifact inventory is archaeological evidence. A possible interpretation of this evidence might be: The site is the remains of a prehistoric Indian village or campsite that was occupied by both men and women, and that hunting, tool manufacturing, and seed grinding activities took place. This interpretation can be defended based upon clues provided by the physical evidence.

Archaeological evidence is found in four forms:

Archaeological Sites - These are specific places where artifacts, features or both artifacts and features are concentrated and indicate past human activity. Sites can be either prehistoric, historic, or both. Examples of archaeological sites include Indian villages, seasonal camps, trails, petroglyphs, hunting blinds, quarries, or remains of old homesteads, logging camps, or historic mines.

Archaeological Features - Archaeological features are stationary objects, made or used by people. They are found at archaeological sites and can be either prehistoric or historic in origin. Examples include: housepits, bedrock mortars, cairns, grave markers, sawpits, cemeteries, house foundations, etc.

Archaeological Artifacts - Archaeological artifacts are non-stationary objects that were made, modified, transported, or used by people in the prehistoric or historic past. They are found in concentrations at archaeological sites or as isolated finds. Examples include: a projectile point, pestle, flake, bead, coin, nail, button, bottle or can.

PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE ABOVE - Physical relationships include horizontal ones (settlement patterns, etc.) and vertical ones (stratigraphy).

Archaeological interpretations are reconstructions or explanations of past human lifeways based upon physical evidence. Typically, interpretations are developed to answer the basic questions of archaeology. These are:

1: How old are the artifacts, features, or sites?

2: How were they made?

3: How were they used?

4: How did the people who made them live?

5: How important are they?

Archaeological interpretations cannot be accurately formulated until and unless archaeological evidence has first been collected and analyzed. The primary goal of the CAL FIRE Archaeology Program is the identification, protection, and interpretation of California’s archaeological resources.