archaeological artefact
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An archaeological artefact is an object that was made or changed by humans and is worth studying to learn about the past. These items matter because they provide direct evidence of how people lived, what they valued, and how societies developed over time.
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Mycenaean stirrup jar from Ras Shamra (Ugarit) Syria, 1400–1300 BC An artifact or artefact (British English) is a general term for an item made or given shape by humans, such as a tool or a work of art, especially an object of archaeological interest. In archaeology, the word has become a term of particular nuance; it is defined as an object recovered by archaeological endeavor, including cultural artifacts (of cultural interest).
"Artefact" is the general term used in archaeology, while in museums the equivalent general term is normally "object", and in art history perhaps artwork or a more specific term such as "carving". The same item may be called all or any of these in different contexts, and more specific terms will be used when talking about individual objects, or groups of similar ones.