It is a science that mainly studies people's life and social conditions at that time according to the physical remains left by ancient human activities, and then analyzes the historical process of human culture and social development, and explores the background reasons and laws of its development and change.

Archaeology belongs to a part of generalized history and undertakes the task of studying human history together with the history of literature. The research object of archaeology is mainly the remains and relics left by ancient human activities. Because it aims at studying human culture and society, it belongs to the field of humanities. Moreover, it is necessary to use the technical means of natural science to acquire and study these relics, and also to use various methods of humanities and social sciences to explain people's consciousness, behavior and social conditions in the past through these relics.

Therefore, archaeology belongs to the largest cross-discipline. The basic research methods of archaeology are archaeological stratigraphy and archaeological typology, which come from geological stratigraphy and biological taxonomy respectively. Its basic research steps are: archaeological investigation, archaeological excavation, collation of field data obtained from investigation and excavation, testing and analysis of various specimens, preparation of archaeological investigation or excavation report, special research or comprehensive research, and writing academic papers or monographs.