Final answer:
An artifact is defined as any A) object made or used by humans. This broad definition encompasses objects of all kinds from any time period and includes things made for a variety of purposes, not just items of historical significance or items used for cooking or warfare.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct definition of an artifact is A) objects made or used by humans. This encompasses a wide range of items, not limited by the period in which they were made, their aesthetic value, or their intended use. Artifacts include everything from ancient stone tools to modern plastic spoons.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an artifact is defined as 'anything made by human art and workmanship; an artificial product' and in archaeology, it is applied to 'the rude products of aboriginal workmanship as distinguished from natural remains'. Whether an ordinary household item or a tool with significant historical value, if it was made or used by humans, it qualifies as an artifact.
Food can be considered an artifact when it is part of the material culture, such as tools used in food preparation or containers used for storage. Cooking implements from ancient times, just like modern culinary gadgets, are artifacts since they've been crafted by humans to fulfill a purpose. For example, pottery used to store grains or cook food in the past, and present-day kitchen appliances, both serve as evidence of human ingenuity and are categorized as artifacts.