Whither archaeology?

Evžen Neústupný

Antiquity · 1971 · 14 citations · 0 references

Concepts

Abstract

Few archaeologists (or prehistorians) would agree on a comprehensive definition of their science. There is not even a unanimous answer to the question whether it deserves the proud (or debasing?) designation ‘science’. Anyway, most of those who feel themselves concerned with modern archaeology would presumably admit that this peculiar human activity has two important aspects. First, it is connected with the study of material remains left behind by ancient man. Secondly, its aim is to recover at least some aspects of man’s past, mainly those unrecorded by written documents.