I have always possessed an interest in anthropology. I think it's neat to be able to learn about ourselves and our culture through the study of ancient peoples and civilizations. In fact, some of the earliest inhabitants of North America, the Anazasi, roamed and established pueblos in what is now present-day New Mexico.
The science of anthropology is divided into two main fields, or branches, each with one or more "sub fields." Definitions of the two main areas, cultural anthropology and physical anthropology follow:
Cultural Anthropology: The branch of anthropology that focuses on human behavior
Physical Anthropology: The systematic study of humans as biological organisms.
The sub fields are outlined in the table below.
Cultural Anthropology
Physical Anthropology
Archaeology
Linguistic Anthropology
Ethnology
Forensic Anthropology
Archaeology: A branch of cultural anthropology that explains human behavior by analyzing a past society's cultural remains, or artifacts.
Linguistic Anthropology: The branch of cultural anthropology that studies human language.
Ethnology: A branch of cultural anthropology that seeks to explain human behavior through observation of a current society, rather than through analysis of it's remains.
"In the public mind," explains William A. Haviland, author of Cultural Anthropology, "anthropology is often identified with the recovery of the bones of remote human ancestors, the uncovering of ancient campsites and 'lost cities,' or the study of present-day tribal peoples whose way of life is erroneously seen as being something 'out of the past.' What people are often unaware of are the many practical applications of anthropological knowledge."1