Archaeological anthropology endeavours to reconstruct the human past through the study of material remains. It is the only branch in anthropology that does not deal with living human populations. The data collection comprises of any human or non-human material remains, associated with human activities, that help in unveiling the lives of human beings in the bygone days.
EXPLORATION
Exploration primarily is an interdisciplinary investigation involving archaeology and anthropology. It aims at locating and understanding the potentials of archaeological sites to unravel human and non-human material remains. Many a times, sites with archaeological significance have been accidently unearthed during construction activities. However, trained archaeological anthropologists also plans exploration of sites using specialised maps like geological, vegetation, agricultural, soil, rainfall, natural resources etc., which gives insight into the topography of a region and which could have been a space for earlier human activity. These sites could be related owing to subsistence, food production and procurement, trade etc. If we analyse the Mohenjo-daro and Harappan civilisation 100 Investigation of Data we would see that these were near the river which allowed both trading and farming. Exploration basically involves analysing a site for potential human activity without carrying out excavation. It is the first step before excavation. In exploration various techniques are used like field walking, aerial photography, magnetometer survey, electrical resistivity survey, probing, remote sensing and geographical information system.
EXCAVATION
Excavation is scientifically and systematically unearthing the deeper layers of the soil to uncover the hidden past. As stated earlier, remains of human beings and their material culture forms the backbone of archaeological studies. In order to reconstruct the lives of the human beings of the past, their material culture like broken pieces potteries, beads, coins, jewelry, inscriptions etc., helps in recreating the story. The method of archaeological excavation follows a sequence and the first is the layout of a trench, after exploration of a site. During any excavation it is important to record stratigraphy, which follows the law of superimposition. Materials when unearthed, need to be labelled according to a format known as documentation of artifacts. Documentation involves description of the site where the material has been found, date of excavation, trench details, type of material, depth where found and measurements of the artifact. It is followed by a photograph and drawing of the artifact. This exercise is to be done before removing the object from the site after cleaning and dusting.
CLASSIFICATION
Excavation is followed by classification of the materials, which involves group of materials according to similarity. Those materials which do not fall under any group are labelled separately. Typo-technological classification is the most commonly followed classification for stone tools and pottery.