Artifacts recovered during archeological investigations are rarely complete or intact. You usually only have small parts of the object, making it difficult to tell what it used to be. If you are lucky, though, you may find pieces of an object that help you figure out what it was. This identifier can be a distinct color, design, shape, or a maker’s (manufacturer’s) mark on the bottom or side of the object. Archeologists use these aspects of an object to learn about the history of the artifact’s manufacture, which can help to date a site.