Archaeological site

An archaeological site is a physical site, or group of physical sites, in which evidence of past human activities is preserved. Sites are distinguished by the presence of both artifacts and features, such as hearths and house-remnants. Ecofacts[?], biological materials (such as bones and scales) that are the result of human activity but are not deiberately modified, are also common at archaeological sites.

Archaeological sites form through processes that are both natural and human-related. In most cases, they form when cultural remnants have been buried by sediments deposited by either alluvial (water-related) or eolian[?] (wind-related) natural processes, although colluviation[?] - the burial of a site by sediments moved by gravity - and human activities (both deliberate and incidental) also often bury sites. The sediment in which a site is buried is termed the matrix.

Generally, evidence of human activity is not considered an archaeological site unless it exceeds fifty years in age and yields more than a small number of artifacts or features.

Famous archaeological sites:

• Amesbury stone circle[?]
• Cahokia, Illinois
• Casa Grande[?]
• Chichen Itza
• Choukoutien[?]
• Chysauster Ancient Village
• Grimes' Graves[?]
• Knossos
• Machu Picchu
• Maes Howe
• Meadowcroft Rochshelter[?]
• Monte Verde[?]
• Ninevah
• Snaketown[?]
• Stonehenge
• Sutton Hoo
• Troy
• Tutankhamen's Tomb[?]