Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (312 page)

All the physical evidence for past human activity, and its associations, that people can see, feel, find, and understand in the present world. It is the habitat that the human race has created through conflict and cooperation and the consequences of human interaction with nature.

 
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A general and increasingly ambiguous term meaning a number of different things to different people. At its heart, however, is the idea that a society and its culture exist mainly in their dynamic and developmental character. In this it gives emphasis to non-rational behaviour, all-round creativity, and doubts many of the beliefs inherent to a progressive view of change.

 
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The use of an understanding of history as a basis for trying to change it.

 
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The legislation in the USA enacted in 1966 to establish the National Register of Historic Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

 
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The government agency responsible for archaeology and the conservation of the historic environment in Scotland. Its duties and responsibilities are very similar to those of
ENGLISH HERITAGE
.

 
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The principal legislation in the USA enacted in 1935 declaring a national policy to identify and protect important archaeological and historical sites on federal land.

 
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Traditionally, the study of the past using mainly documentary sources created by or about the society under scrutiny. Inevitably such investigations concentrated on societies where writing had been adopted. See also
PREHISTORY
,
PROTO-HISTORIC
.