Benefits of Archeology:
1. Unraveling the Mysteries of the Past: Archeology studies past cultures and their material remains. By studying artifacts and ruins, archaeologists can piece together information about how people lived in the past. This can help us to understand our ancestors better and appreciate our cultural heritage.
2. Developing New Technologies: Many of the technologies we use today were developed through archaeological research, such as metalworking, glassmaking, and agriculture. By studying the past, we can learn how to use new technologies in safe ways for our health and the environment.
3. Understanding Ourselves Better: Archeology helps us make connections between the present and the past and teaches us about our shared human history. It can also help us understand why certain traditions or cultural practices exist and how they have evolved.
4. Preserving Cultural Heritage: Archeology provides an understanding of the past. It allows us to study societies that no longer exist and gives us clues about how they evolved. We can apply this knowledge when studying other cultures to better understand human behavior across all periods of history.
5. Promoting International Cooperation: By sharing information about our archaeological findings, we can build bridges between different cultures and promote international cooperation. Archaeology can help to break down barriers between people and help to create a more understanding world.
6. Conserving the Environment: By learning how our ancestors used resources like wood, plants, and animals for food, clothing, and shelter, we can apply this knowledge when developing new technologies. This will allow us to use resources in a sustainable way that is safe for our environment.
7. Reconstructing Prehistoric Environments: Aerial photography is used in conjunction with archaeological excavation to construct models of prehistoric environments (such as the Amazon rainforest). These models inform modern environmental conservation efforts by showing what habitats existed before they were lost due to deforestation or urban expansion.
8. Understanding Human Behavior: Archeology allows us to understand how people behaved in the past, which can help us better understand human behavior across all periods of history. It can also help us to appreciate different cultures and to gain an understanding of how our own culture has evolved throughout history.
9. Preserving Artifacts for Future Generations: Archaeological sites are often closed off to be preserved for future generations. Some even have warning signs in multiple languages explaining why entering or touching artifacts found at excavation sites is forbidden. This means that if people respect these rules, archaeological material will continue to survive long after the archaeologists working on site have finished their research.
10. Promoting Tourism: Sites like Stonehenge attract tens of thousands of visitors each year who want to see where some of the world's most famous archaeology took place (and hopefully get a glimpse into what life was like in the past). As a result, tourism-related archaeology is a major economy in many parts of the world.