Archaeologists work much like detectives, studying material clues to reconstruct prehistoric and historic cultures. Prehistoric archaeology is the study of cultures that were not documented by written records. In Indiana, as in the eastern United States, cultures are known from the PaleoIndian, Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian periods. Historic archaeology is the study of cultures after activities have been recorded in some written form. In the United States, the historic period begins with the arrival of European explorers or colonists, and thus starts at different dates depending on geographic location.
Some sites are obvious.
Archaeological features such as building foundations, soil stains, or hearths might be seen. All of these indicate human activity at some time in the past. Often a farmer or landowner will uncover artifacts or features. Construction or erosion can reveal sites that were not apparent on the surface. The site record describes the location and characteristics of the site.