Archaeology differs from other approaches to cultural anthropology in that it focuses on the material remains of past cultures rather than on contemporary social practices or beliefs.
Archaeologists study artifacts, structures, and other physical remains to reconstruct the lifeways of past societies, including their technologies, economies, political systems, and social structures. This often involves excavating and analyzing archaeological sites, such as ancient cities, burial grounds, and other places where material remains are preserved.
In contrast, other approaches to cultural anthropology, such as ethnography, focus on the study of contemporary social practices and beliefs. Ethnographers typically conduct fieldwork in contemporary societies, observing and interviewing people to understand their cultural practices, beliefs, and values. This often involves living among the people being studied for an extended period of time to gain a deep understanding of their way of life.
Despite these differences, archaeology and other approaches to cultural anthropology share a common goal of understanding human cultures and societies, and often draw on each other's methodologies and insights to gain a more complete picture of the human experience.