Archaeology is a subfield of anthropology, which is the study of human culture. It offers a unique perspective on human history and culture that has contributed to our understanding of the ancient and recent past. It is the only field of study that covers all times periods and all geographic regions inhabited by humans; unlike history, which relies primarily upon written records and documents to interpret great lives and events.
Prehistoric archaeology focuses on past cultures that did not have written language and therefore relies primarily on excavation or data recovery to reveal cultural evidence. An archaeological site is any place where physical remains of past human activities exist. Even the smallest archaeological site may contain a wealth of important information.