Question

Choose the one-word substitute for the given phrase.
The study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of physical remains.

• A. Anthropology
• B. Genealogy
• C. Ornithology
• D. Etiology
• E. Archaeology

Hint:

The clue word "excavation of sites" points directly to the branch of study concerned with digging up the past.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Identify the core activity described.
The phrase describes a discipline that studies human history and prehistory specifically by digging up (excavating) sites and examining physical remains such as tools, pottery, and bones.

Step 2: Recall the exact term.
"Archaeology" is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture, which is done mainly through excavation of sites. This matches the phrase word for word.

Step 3: Eliminate the distractors.
"Anthropology" is the broader study of human societies and cultures, including living ones, and does not specifically mean excavation-based study. "Genealogy" is the study of family lineages and ancestry. "Ornithology" is the study of birds. "Etiology" is the study of causes, often used in medicine to mean the cause of a disease. None of these involve excavation of sites.

Step 4: Finalize the answer.
The precise match is "archaeology", option (e).