Archaeological finds are important because they help scholars understand how ancient people lived, worked, and organized their societies. Written records are useful, but many early communities left no written documents. In these cases, objects such as tools, bones, pottery, and building remains become essential sources of information.
For example, stone tools can reveal the kinds of activities people performed. Sharp cutting tools may suggest hunting, food preparation, or the making of clothing from animal skins. Pottery can show how people stored food or cooked meals. If archaeologists find many similar pots in one area, they may conclude that a community had developed regular methods of food production and storage.
Human remains can also provide valuable clues. By studying bones, scientists can learn about diet, disease, physical labor, and even migration. Teeth, for instance, may show whether a person ate mostly plants, meat, or grains. Burial sites are especially useful because they often reveal social beliefs. Objects placed beside the dead may suggest ideas about status, family, or an afterlife.
In this way, archaeology does more than collect old objects. It reconstructs patterns of human behavior and connects anthropology with history.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
(A) Written records are more reliable than objects.
(B) Archaeological finds help scholars understand ancient human life.
(C) Pottery was the most important invention in early history.
(D) Ancient people usually recorded their lives in writing.
2. Why are objects especially important for studying early communities?
(A) Many early communities did not leave written records.
(B) Objects are easier to preserve than books.
(C) Written records are always inaccurate.
(D) Archaeologists prefer objects to human remains.