In anthropology and archaeology, an artifact is any object made, modified, or used by humans, typically recovered from archaeological sites. Artifacts are the material traces of human activity and are central to reconstructing past lifeways, technologies, and cultural identities.

🌍 Definition

• Artifact: A portable object created or altered by humans, distinguished from ecofacts (natural remains like seeds or bones) and features (non-portable structures like hearths or walls).
• Scope: Includes tools, pottery, ornaments, weapons, art objects, and everyday items.
• Etymology: From Latin arte (“by skill”) + factum (“made”), meaning “something made by skill.”

🔑 Anthropological Contexts

• Archaeology:
  • Artifacts are cataloged and analyzed to interpret technology, economy, and social organization.
  • Examples: Stone tools, ceramics, beads, textiles, metal objects.
• Cultural Anthropology:
  • Artifacts embody symbolic meaning, identity, and tradition.
  • Example: Ritual masks or religious figurines.
• Historical Archaeology:
  • Artifacts like coins, glassware, or industrial tools reveal colonial and modern histories.
• Material Culture Studies:
  • Artifacts are studied as carriers of cultural values, aesthetics, and social memory.

📚 Importance in Anthropology

• Chronology: Artifact styles and technologies help date sites.
• Cultural Identity: Distinctive artifacts reflect group traditions and social boundaries.
• Human Adaptation: Show how societies responded to environmental and subsistence challenges.
• Interdisciplinary Insight: Connects anthropology with geology (raw materials), chemistry (pigments, metallurgy), and art history.

In short: In anthropology, an artifact is a human-made or modified object that serves as a key to understanding past technologies, economies, and cultural identities.