Archaeology originated in 15th and 16th century Europe with the popularity of collecting and Humanism, a type of rational philosophy that held art in high esteem. The inquisitive elite of the Renaissance collected antiquities from ancient Greece and Rome, considering them pieces of art more than historical artifacts.

How old is the study of archeology?

Archaeology as a scientific study is about 150 years old. The earliest evidence of interest in the past is the 18th dynasty Egyptian explorations reconstructing the Sphinx, ca 1550–1070 BCE.

Who is the father of archeology?

Sir Flinders Petrie excavated over 40 sites in Egypt. His collection forms the basis of the Petrie Museum of Archaeology and other archaeologists are indebted to the methodologies he developed.