"Paleontology"

Definition: Paleontology is the study of prehuman animals and their lifeways, including dinosaurs and other long-dead life forms. Archaeologists never study dinosaurs--archaeologists are people people.

In general, the study of archaeology is limited to humans and their immediate ancestors, generally meaning beginning with the first use of stone tools in the Lower Paleolithic beginning about 2.5 million years ago.

Some paleontologists who study hominids such as Australopithecus and Homo erectus before they picked up rock and began using it to butcher other animals with it, call themselves archaeologists. Since the line between human and hominid is to some extent fluid, and the study is pretty interesting, who am I to quibble?

This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.