Any object that is made, modified, or used by humans is an artifact. An artifacts is, therefore, the result of some kind of human activity. By studying artifacts, archaeologists can, therefore, learn about the activities that created artifacts as well as the activities in which that artifact was used.

Activities which create artifacts

The production of pottery is an activity which has created some of archaeology's most common artifacts. Pots, bowls, ladles, and canteens are just a few examples of these types of artifacts.

By studying one of these artifacts, a bowl for example, archaeologists can learn about how that bowl was made. How the bowl has broken or if the surface has a slight wave to it may indicate that the bowl was made by layering together coils of clay.

Activities which use artifacts

Many artifacts are created and used in even the simplest cooking activities. A camp fire, for example, requires the use of a tool to start the fire and various tools to cook the food on or in (a grill or pot, etc.). By identifying these artifacts at an archaeological site, archaeologists can learn about how the inhabitants of the site prepared their meals.

A closer look reveals even more

The ability to identify a wide range of artifacts is an important part of being an archaeologist. Often times knowing what an artifact is does not answer all the questions an archaeologist may have. The ability to discover exactly how an artifact was used can uncover many new details about that artifact.

For example, analysis of a well worn handle may reveal whether its user was right or left handed. The grip of a right handed person is identified by a thumb print on the left side of a handle, while a left handed person would leave a thumb print on the right side of a handle.

Residue Analysis

When artifacts are used in certain activities, such as food preparation, small particles can stick to the artifact which may help archaeologist identify what the artifact was used for.

For example, a knife used to cut vegetables may have one type of residue on it and a knife used to cut rope would have another.

How Rocks Become Lithics

When Bones Become Artifacts

Colonial Artifacts: Identification

Using Artifacts to Date Sites

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