Anthropology is the study of humanity through cultures and artifacts that can connect the different pieces of human life together. Anthropology is a large part of the museum world; helping us to discover what makes humans, human. There are 4 sub-fields in Anthropology that together create a more holistic or overall view of society.
These fields include archaeology, as well as, biological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology. Biological and Cultural Anthropology fields will be the main focus of this article. These fields in particular tell the stories of our past through human adaptation in different environments and are also capable of making connections in fossils.
(B.P.- Before Present)
Biological anthropology studies different aspects of human evolution. This is done by studying fossils and using biochemistry to determine changes in physical adaptation. Biological anthropology can also be used beyond history in areas forensic anthropology. Forensic Anthropology is like the T.V. show Bones in a way, examining bones to help in determining what happened. Bones can show different types of injuries and the health of the individual.
Cultural anthropology explores how people interacted and lived within a group or society. This can reveal how past cultures conducted their daily lives, for example what they ate, how they treated each other, what traditions they held and many other types of human interactions.
Archaeology is the study of the physical materials left behind. Studying physical materials can reveal the technology, culture and social aspects of a society. Archaeology is one of the most commonly known fields of Anthropology.
Linguistics is the study of languages; both verbal and non-verbal. When combined with the other aspects of Anthropology, it helps to reveal the cultural and social relations through the application of languages.
So why is this important? Why care about Anthropology?
Anthropology can help in putting together the pieces of what happened in the past and how we got here today. Discovering what happened in each time period can give us a more holistic or over-all view of human history.
For example, the study of various projectile points, like the ones here can connect different sites across North America to show how our ancestors traveled and how they traded. These studies also show us how much migration happened in North America and other locations across the world over a specific time period. Noting the changes in the point designs can also show how people advanced their technology over time.
Anthropology and museums working together can help to reveal the mysteries in our past. New discoveries are being made every year across the globe that can improve our understanding of humanity then and now.
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