Donna Fraser, age 10 of Coventry, R.I, for her question:

What is historical archeology?

The different branches of science began to take shape about 100 years ago. Some fields overlap, and a large field such as biology covers a number of specialized branches. The term archeology means the study of ancient things, and archeologists are interested in old and buried records of our ancestors. The early anthropologists dug for ruined buildings and relics of ancient civilizations.

Archeologists have added to our historical knowledge, for history began with writing and fine buildings. Other specialists in anthropology have delved into the relics left by people who lived before the dawn of history. A scientist may choose to study the archeology of prehistory or the archeology of history, but very often the two branches overlap.