Anthropology is the science of human beings, concerned with the physical human body, their history and cultural systems, including their language and cultural practices, in both the historical and modern times, with other human kinds. The word ” Anthropology” first appears in the title of an essay by Thomas H. Smith in 1849. Since then, anthropological research has become an important component of many fields in Science, especially Anthropology, Geology, and Sociology. This science studies human beings on a taxonomic level, concentrating on the descriptions and data gathered from skeletal remains, skeletons, teeth, hair and antlers, as well as material culture, such as clothing and tools.
There are three broad areas of anthropology: biological anthropology, cultural anthropology and social anthropology. Biological anthropology concerns itself with the details of how humans are built and organized. This includes genetic relationships, migration and dispersal, and ancestry. These details can give clues about the evolution of human groups and populations. Molecular geneticists are currently trying to complete an important genealogy of all human groups.
Cultural anthropology offers coursework on the history and relationships of human groups, as well as the practices and beliefs associated with them. This study also looks into the social classification of people and their roles in society, and compares these to their behavior and surroundings. Visual and performing arts also play a large role in cultural anthropology. Coursework may compare these materials to the artifacts of different cultures.
Anthropology is the field of study that compares and contrasts the various types of anthropological data. These data may be described by quantitative or qualitative measurements. Quantitative measures are measurements like weight, length and girth. Quantitative measurements cannot be used to determine biological information; however, anthropologists use these measurements to describe and compare human remains. These include measurements of cranial, pelvic and facial features, hair thickness, and height. Qualitative measurements include written words and signs such as stone tools and charcoal drawings.
Archaeology deals with the historical evidence of humans and other living things. There are two broad types of anthropology; archaeological and biological anthropology. Archaeological anthropologists study ancient sites with dated artifacts for evidence of human activity. Biological anthropologists study fossils and museum specimens for evidence of human evolution and development. Both of these subfields have many similarities, but there are also important differences.
Anthropology has four subfields that overlap significantly. These are biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, visual anthropology and ecological anthropology. Biological anthropologists usually specialize in one of these four subfields. For example, molecular biologists are in charge of analyzing DNA samples from archaeological remains. Visual anthropologists look at artifacts using the natural world models and techniques. And ecological anthropologists study communities and the environment in which human groups live.
Cultural anthropology is concerned with the unique customs and behaviors of peoples. It is based on the historical records of people, oral traditions, arts, literature and customs of a society. These records provide an invaluable source of information about the history and evolution of human cultures. Linguists, cultural anthropologists and anthropological anthropologists all contribute to this field. For example, linguists study languages, deciphering their patterns of usage, sounds and structure. Cultural anthropologists look at artistic manifestations of language and try to understand their meaning.
The fourth subfield of anthropology is ethology, which studies the physical characteristics of human groups. Ethnologists go into historical sites to gather samples of fossils, soil and vegetation. They also excavate different types of artifacts from inside the earth to see how humans used objects in the past. This information is vital for understanding the evolution of culture and society. Other anthropologists specialize in specific areas of anthropology like forensic anthropology or social anthropology.