Open-access-archaeology-journals

 Archaeology is that the study of the human past using material remains. These remains are often any objects that folks created, modified, or used.Portable remains are usually called artifacts. Artifacts include tools, clothing, and decorations. Non-portable remains, like pyramids or post-holes, are called features.Archaeologists use artifacts and features to find out how people lived in specific times and places. They want to know what these people’s daily lives were like, how they were governed, how they interacted with each other, and what they believed and valued.Sometimes, artifacts and features provide the sole clues about an ancient community or civilization. Prehistoric civilizations didn't leave behind written records, so we cannot examine them.Understanding why ancient cultures built the enormous stone circles at Stonehenge, England, as an example , remains a challenge 5,000 years after the first monoliths were erected. Archaeologists studying Stonehenge don't have ancient manuscripts to inform them how cultures used the feature. They rely on the enormous stones themselves—how they are arranged and the way the site developed over time.Most cultures with writing systems leave written records that archaeologists consult and study. Some of the most valuable written records are everyday items, such as shopping lists and tax forms. Latin, the language of ancient Rome, helps archaeologists understand artifacts and features discovered in parts of the Roman Empire. The use of Latin shows how far the empire’s influence extended, and therefore the records themselves can tell archaeologists what foods were available in a neighborhood , what proportion they cost, and what buildings belonged to families or businesses.