Final answer:
Artifacts such as tools, pottery, weapons, paintings, buildings, and household items from early cultures are called material culture, revealing insights into early human life, technology, and society. They serve as crucial evidence for historians and archaeologists in studying human civilization and cultural practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tools, pottery, paintings, weapons, buildings, and household items left behind by early people are collectively known as material culture or artifacts. These items are incredibly important for archaeologists and historians as they provide insights into the way early humans lived, their social structures, cultural practices, and technological advancements. Whether they are intricate pottery from Japan's Jomon period, used for storage and ritual practices, or the blades and axes developed by early hominins, all these artifacts shed light on the evolving human civilization.
Artifacts such as pottery not only served practical purposes like cooking or storing food but also possessed artistic value, reflecting the aesthetics of the civilization. The trade of pottery pieces between different sites indicates economic and political relationships. Tools made by early humans were passed down through generations, showing the development of technology over time. The existence of buildings, carved sculptures, and pottery helps archaeologists reconstruct ancient cultures and understand more about our ancestors' daily lives and survival strategies.