Archaeologists and Biological anthropologists both study historical material. Archaeologists study physical material to define the cultural practices of a people. Biological anthropologists study the biological material of past and living people to understand their specific condition and date their origin according to period. Researchers from different fields examine all remains so that each can give his or her input.
The importance of the field of archaeology and Biological Anthropology lie in the fact that they explore the past and link it to the present and future. For instance, some fossil material may be able to describe that there was once a flood in a certain region. The biological material may then reveal how this flood was caused by a loss of plant cover because of the high rate of deforestation that is shown in the area. Consequently, this might even show how human populations moved to a different region in search of better and safer living standards. The deforested land could then have regenerated because of lack of human interference. This is one of the ways these fields can help explain the origin of phenomenon such as spontaneous forests.
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Use of techniques such as systematic survey can determine settlement patterns and explain past human behavior and movement. Additional techniques such as cross dating and dendrochronology also assist in the almost accurate dating of materials to the year. Branches such as molecular anthropology help to date back to the original of civilized or evolved human kind. It also helps in determining how different we really are based on where we came from. Anthropologists are bound by the code of conduct and they have to follow this to avoid raising ethical concerns. This is to avoid unauthorized use of biological material.
The diverse nature of this fields cause them to work all over the world. This improves cultural relations because when people interact professionally, there is a chance for them to mingle socially. The universal nature of anthropological research ensures that techniques such as radiometric dating and stratigraphy can be applied in all parts of the earth. Factors such as legal boundaries and differing political climate may hinder this progress. Natural elements such as animals, scavengers, and natural phenomenon like storms, floods and changing temperature and climatic conditions may hinder the success of the field.
Not all the anthropologists study the past with an aim of identifying links in the process of life. Others study it in order to fully preserve what is left. The aim is to prevent further degradation and therefore preserve the environment for people who wish to study it in the future. This aspect of this field is limited to conservation of historical artifacts and sites. These sites can generate an income for the management of the same and for its additional protection.
The most important concept we can discover from Archaeology and Biological Anthropology is the beauty of diversity. Our historical profiles show us that diversity and co-existence are part of our history, present and future. A diverse people and culture show that the world is a collection of diversity where everyone brings something different to the table. Finally, this study of our history shows us the universality of our nature. Our child birth process which requires an assistant to help at all times demonstrates this. This has been the case since time immemorial and during every stage of evolution. This just goes to show that we need each other for advancement in career, for social interaction and most importantly to give strength to every new emerging life.
