20 Analytical Essay Topics on Archaeological Record

Any physical material created, modified and left behind, can be used as a means of archaeological record. These records are then studied which say a lot about past cultures that have dominated our planet. In fact, pretty much all of history as we know today, is backed by archaeological records found by archeologists.

If you’re among the lot of students who are looking to write an analysis essay on archaeological record, then you’ve certainly come to the right place.

This is the first of our two guides which will assist you in writing a superb analysis essay that’s not only better than your colleagues’, but also gets generously admired by your professor.

In this guide, 20 topics for an analysis essay on archaeological record, we discuss 20 relevant topics that you can start using right away. These analysis essay ideas will help you write with precision, hitting each point flawlessly. Furthermore, we’ve also concluded a sample paper at the end of this guide so you can have a better understanding about how an analysis essay is written.

In our second and final guide, creating an analysis essay on archaeological record, we discuss the whatnots of how an analysis paper should be written. Additionally, you may refer to our 10 facts for an analysis essay on archeological record that’s always there when you need it. If you already know how to write an analysis essay, we’d still recommend that you skim through it so you can have a much more in-depth look at how it’s really written.

With that being said, here are 20 Topics on Archaeological Record:

1. How Archaeology Can Help us Study Past Cultures
2. The Significance of Archaeological Records to Provide Physical Evidence about the Past ― an In-depth Analysis
3. The Record of Human History: How Archaeological Records Help Us Find The Reason behind The Prosperity or Failure of a Civilization
4. How the Remains of Past Civilizations Divides the Line between the Past and Present
5. An Analysis on Archaeology: The Human Story that Represents Everyone’s Heritage and is a Part of Everyone’s Past
6. The Digital Archaeological Record (tDAR) and its Significance in terms of Preserving Irreplaceable Archaeological Records
7. An Analysis on the Most Rare Archaeological Records that Changed the Entire Course of Human History
8. What Archaeological Records Tell Us About Earthly Species
9. How Archaeological Records are Helping Human Species Find Alien Life
10. Historical Archaeology: The Luxury of Examining Physical Remains and Texts and its Significance in this Modern Era
11. An In-Depth Analysis on Archeologists: How They Order Their Data to Form a Record and How They Interpret Them as Concrete Embodiments of Thoughts
12. Understanding Archaeological Records and an Overview of its Goals
13. How archaeological Records Explain the Cultural Diversity it Holds
14. The Composition of Archaeological Records: An Analysis of Monuments, Artifacts, Ecofacts, Features and Burials.
15. How Archaeological Records Can Become a Means of Living ― An Insight into the Lives of Professional Looters or “Pot Hunters”
16. How a Combination of Deliberate Destruction and Vandalism Causes Archaeological Records to be Lost Forever
17. An Analysis on Vandals who Take Pleasure in the Destruction of Ancient and Ceremonial Archaeological Records
18. An Analysis on The Stuff that Comes from Garbage and Litter: The Source of Many Archaeological Data Found Today
19. The History of Archaeological Records: How it all Began
20. The Relationship between Archaeological Records and Time and Space

Read them all? Great!

To further boost your confidence, we have written a little sample essay that would assist you in the writing part, should you get stuck at any stage. Here it is:

Sample Analysis Essay: The Human Story that Represents Everyone’s Heritage and is a Part of Everyone’s Past

According to archaeological.org, the discoveries, research and study of left-behinds by past cultures and civilizations is what archaeology is really about. Archaeological records are either textual writings or physical material, though they are mostly physical.

In fact, everything that we see today ― structures, monuments, ornaments, technology etc. ― will become a part of archaeological records if our civilization had to face a worldwide catastrophe. This is how it really works. Most of the records that archeologists find today are the remains of old civilizations that perished a long time ago.

Archaeology helps us understand the story behind the human species; how they flourished and what they accomplished during their reign over this planet. Archaeological records explain all aspects of human culture, from the daily lives of common men to the grand endeavors of emperors. However, finding these records is as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. Archeologists find clues that create a pattern, which allows them to reconstruct human history or the lives of ancient civilizations or historical figures.

Archaeology is a study or practice that allows us to appreciate and preserve human heritage. It allows us to understand ourselves, where we came from, how we overcame challenges, and how the societies we now live in thrived.

Over the years, archaeology and its practices have changed immensely. From ancient pots to DNA to theories of cognitive processes, everything can be categorized as archaeological practices which are performed by today’s archaeologists.

These new practices have allowed archaeologists to create new recovery techniques and interpretive approaches, which help them find more archaeological records on our planet. Today, there are a variety of highly skilled archaeologists who use state of the art equipment such as computers, robotics, satellite imagery and of course, a trowel ― the primary tool used by nearly all archaeologists.

All of today’s archaeological practices have allowed us to come to terms with the heritage left behind by past civilizations. Today, ethno-archaeologists study past and current civilizations. This helps them determine and reveal why people in the past left behind their remains in certain patterns.

In the end, archeology has helped us understand who we are, what we did in the past, why we embraced certain kinds of cultures and societies, what we achieved as a species, where we failed, where we came from and what happened to civilizations before us.

Now, you’re just one step away from writing an excellent analysis essay on archaeological records. Head over to our final guide ― “Creating an Analysis Essay on Archaeological Records”. Let’s get on with it then, shall we?

References:

1. Patrik, Linda E. (1985). “Is There an Archaeological Record?”. Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory. 8: 27–62.
2. McChesney, Melisa (23 July 2012). “What is the archaeological record and why does it matter?”. The Archaeology Channel Blog. https://web.archive.org/web/20150222031926/http://blog.archaeologychannel.org/?p=9
3. Hardesty, Donald L. (2008). “Goals of Archaeology, Overview”. In Deborah M. Pearsall. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. pp. 1414–1416.
4. Lucas, Gavin (2012). “The Trouble with Theory”. Understanding the Archaeological Record. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–17.
5. Lucas, Gavin (2012). “Formation Theory”. Understanding the Archaeological Record. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 74–123.
6. Ojibwa (2015). “The Archaeological Record” DAILY KOS http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/11/1/1443070/-The-Archaeological-Record
7. Childe, V. Gordon (1956). Piecing Together the Past: The Interpretation of Archaeological Data. London: Routledge.