Artifacts, Features, and Ecofacts of The 21st Century

In archeological excavations there are three main components – these are the artifacts, features, and ecofacts. These three components are instrumental when describing the results of the works of the anthropologists, especially those who decide to go to the field to collect first-hand information that has never been documented in previous records or archives. Artifacts, by description, refer to objects that are made and used by people within a given historical period. Features, on the other hand, can be described as non-portable artifacts; these may include things like soil stains that indicate storage pits, garbage dumps, or structures along fences that were once in existence. Ecofacts are natural remains – like plant and animal remains – that can help in understanding the diet and the subsistence pattern of a given period (Greene, & Moore, 2010).

However, when future anthropologists decide to carry out archeological excavations in the field, it is certain that they will come across our various artifacts, features, and ecofacts. For instance, when it comes to artifacts which have been previously described as objects that were made and used by people within a given period, future anthropologists that study the 21st century will come across forms of technological devices with complex interiors. This will imply to the future anthropologists that this generation was characterized by a high degree of civilization, and that they might have been highly educated to the extent that they were capable of making such elaborate technological devices (Pearsall, 2008). It can therefore be concluded that people during this time period in subject were/are literate.

On the other hand, when it comes to features, which are non-portable artifacts as highlighted above, the archeologists in the process of their excavation might come across structures like mysterious wooden poles with wires joining them at intervals. The interconnection between the poles by a wire is an indicator that something might have been passing through it. The conclusion arrived at, in such a scenario, is that the wooden poles, along with the wires, were used for communication purposes between people and that radio waves passed through them. Apart from that, the poles were used to hold electrical power, transferring it from one location or one building to another. Such evidence of the poles with the wires will thus indicate that the people of the 21st century had scientific abilities, and that communication was important to them.

Last but not least, let’s look at the last archeological element – the ecofacts. Ecofacts represent remains from plants and animals. Archeologists of the future. in the course of their excavations, will find some animal faeces, indicating that there was the existence of other life forms besides humans (White, 2008). For instance, when archeologists come across bird faeces, such as Blue Jay or North Cardinal, the inference, in this case, will be that birds were common during this period of subject. Apart from animal remains, archeologists will likely also come across flower seeds, such as the pansy seeds. This will indicate that such flowers were common around buildings during this period of subject.

Works Cited

1. Greene, K., & Moore, T. (2010). Archaeology. Hoboken: Taylor & Francis.
2. Pearsall, D. M. (2008). Encyclopedia of archaeology. San Diego, Calif: Elsevier/Academic Press.
3. White, N. M. (2008). Archaeology for dummies. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.