The objects, from tools to art, left by earlier generations of people.

The objects, from tools to art, left by earlier generations of people.

• A. Artifacts
• B. Material culture
• C. Paleopathology
• D. Forensic anthropology

Answer: (A)

Artifacts are the tangible objects created or modified by people in the past, such as tools and artwork. They are the concrete remnants that archaeologists study to understand how past groups lived, worked, and expressed themselves. The phrase “objects … left by earlier generations” points to items preserved from the past, which is exactly what artifacts are. While material culture includes artifacts, it also covers nonportable things like buildings and landscapes, so the term focused on portable, human-made items fits best. Paleopathology studies ancient diseases in skeletons, and forensic anthropology applies anthropology to legal cases, so they don’t describe the broad set of past objects.

Artifacts are the tangible objects created or modified by people in the past, such as tools and artwork. They are the concrete remnants that archaeologists study to understand how past groups lived, worked, and expressed themselves. The phrase “objects … left by earlier generations” points to items preserved from the past, which is exactly what artifacts are. While material culture includes artifacts, it also covers nonportable things like buildings and landscapes, so the term focused on portable, human-made items fits best. Paleopathology studies ancient diseases in skeletons, and forensic anthropology applies anthropology to legal cases, so they don’t describe the broad set of past objects.