What are archaeological artifacts?

Archaeological artifacts are defined as objects created or modified by human action. This encompasses a wide range of items such as tools, pottery, jewelry, and structures that provide insights into past human activities, cultures, and societies. The study of these artifacts allows archaeologists to reconstruct and understand human behavior, social organization, and technological development throughout history. By examining artifacts, researchers can gain crucial information about the daily lives, beliefs, and practices of people from different time periods and regions.

The other choices, while related to the broader context of archaeology or anthropology, do not accurately define what constitutes an artifact. Natural objects found in the environment do not reflect human modification or intention. Remnants of geological activity pertains to natural processes rather than human actions. Lastly, burial sites, while significant in archaeology, are not classified as artifacts themselves; they are more related to the context in which artifacts may be found and studied. Therefore, the focus is on human-made or modified items, which is what makes option B the correct definition of archaeological artifacts.