Sharon P. answered • 06/19/19
PhD. in Anthropology, 18 years’ experience Educator, Patient
Let’s define Archaeology. According to the American Anthropology Association, archaeology is a subdiscipline of anthropology “involving the study of the human past through its material remains (retrieved June 19, 2019, from https://www.americananthro.org/). The American Institute of Archaeology states as their mission “…..promotes archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past to foster an appreciation of diverse cultures and our shared humanity” (retrieved June 19, 2019, from https://www.archaeological.org/about/mission/).
Next, let’s think about social function, every academic discipline has a social function and that is the enlightenment, advancement, and development of the human being. If that is not an admirable social function what is? Is the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant a social function? Isw the discovery, classification, and linkages from past cultures to modern-day cultures a social function? You tell me. There are so many more social functions and education that archaeology has given us, just look around at the pyramids (east and west), and the answering the question of the Anasazi, identifying what dinosaurs, primates, homo sapiens from pre-history. Social function??
