The history of archaeology

Archaeology is the scientific study of human culture through material remains. By excavating and examining the buildings, graves and debris of ancient sites, we can discover what life was like hundreds, even thousands, of years ago. Written records date back about 5,000 years and, although they provide important and interesting information about the way we used to live, they often only reflect the culture of the rich and important. Archaeology gives us a unique insight into the everyday lives of every level of society.

Antiquarians first realised the value of the study of past civilisations through material remains in the 17th and 18th centuries. John Aubrey (1627-1697) and William Stukeley (1687-1765) both carried out basic excavations and tried to establish the age and purpose of the artefacts they discovered. Aubrey kept notes and drawings of his work and prepared a detailed description of Stonehenge for Charles II. But, at this time, people believed the world began only 4,000 years BC, so early attempts at dating artefacts were inaccurate.

Fledgling archaeologists also believed that stone tools were used by the lower classes of society, iron tools by the middle and bronze tools by higher ranks. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that the Three Age system (Stone, Bronze and Iron) was developed, which established a chronology of events. This is when scientists determined that the kind of material used for making tools had nothing to do with social hierarchy, but indicated the period an object was made.

High-ranking military leaders took advantage of their foreign travels to exploit their interest in archaeology. Napoleon (1769-1821) took 500 scientists on his Egyptian campaign to study ancient sites and Lieutenant General Augustus Pitt-Rivers (1827-1900) collected many artefacts during his military career abroad. Pitt-Rivers also conducted excavations on his Dorset estate, keeping meticulous records of his finds.

William Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) was a pioneering Egyptologist, linking styles of pottery to certain periods from history, by a system known as ‘seriation’. Instead of just digging for objects, Petrie carefully recorded where they were found, a system that was unique at the time. He lectured and trained fellow archaeologists and his methods of investigation are still used today. One of Petrie’s contemporaries, Sir Arthur Evans (1851-1941), uncovered the Minoan civilisation, excavating and partially restoring the palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete.

Bomb damage from the Second World War exposed areas previously hidden beneath working cities and scientists were given the chance to explore urban archaeology. The Council for British Archaeology was founded in 1943, with the aim of safeguarding material remains, ancient sites and historic buildings and advancing archaeology in Britain.

One of its first tasks after the war was to obtain access to the RAF’s collection of reconnaissance photographs, realising they could identify areas of archaeological interest. New regulations safeguarding ancient sites mean that modern archaeologists often work with developers. During excavations they remove artefacts and other evidence of past cultures that are uncovered before building work begins.