This course introduces the basic concepts, theories and methods of archaeology, and provides a survey of archaeological excavations and discoveries around the world, including the Near East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with an emphasis on two or three regions. It explores the past cultures and societies through their material remains and examines the most updated techniques for investigating, reconstructing, interpreting and preserving the archaeological sites and findings. Meanwhile, it also traces the formation and development of archaeology as a scholarly discipline.