the process of studying and classifying artifacts, usually conducted in a laboratory after excavation has been completed.

the scientific study of past human cultures by analyzing the material remains (sites and artifacts) that people left behind.

a place where human activity occurred and material remains were deposited.

any object made, modified, or used by people.

artifacts that are found together and that presumably were used at the same time or for similar or related tasks.

a characteristic or property of an object, such as weight, size, or color.

years before present; as a convention, 1950 is the year from which B.P. dates are calculated.

pottery, fired clay.

an arrangement of events in the order in which they occurred.

a systematic arrangement in groups or categories according to criteria.