Final answer:
The definition of Cultural Materialism ascribed to Marvin Harris, which suggests it protects archaeological sites, is false. Cultural Materialism is an anthropological theory focusing on how material and economic factors shape other cultural domains.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement concerning Marvin Harris's definition of Cultural Materialism is false. Cultural Materialism is not defined as a branch of applied anthropology that protects archaeological sites from destruction; rather, it is an evolutionary approach that focuses on identifying technology and economic factors as fundamental aspects of culture that influence other areas such as family life, religion, and politics. Marvin Harris and other anthropologists like Julian Steward, who developed cultural ecology, are interested in discovering regular patterns that might govern how human cultures change over time. This includes how technology and material factors shape cultural practices, which are routine or habitual forms of behavior.
Material culture includes all physically tangible objects created and used by humans, such as the art, housing, clothing, sports, dances, and tools of a society. This concept is critical in understanding how humans interact with their environment to craft the necessary tools for survival, which is a key aspect of cultural materialism. However, the statement presented in the question mistakenly conflates Cultural Materialism with salvage anthropology, which involves the collecting of Indigenous artifacts and protecting cultural heritage.