Definition: There are probably as many definitions of historical archaeology as there are historical archaeologists. The dominant definition is probably the study of people with a written record. Another well-established definition is the study of the spread of European colonization throughout the world.

Related Resources:

Historical Archaeology
Archaeology of the recent past, when written documentation is available, nevertheless has a lot to teach us about ourselves.

Elsewhere on the Web:

The Society for Historical Archaeology
A society for American practioners of historical archaeology.

<Back to Last Page> <Full Glossary>