35 archaeology and anthropology glossaries

About – Learn about archaeology one word at a time. Explore definitions, illustrations of archaeological terms and dig sites.

West Virginia – A short list of the most common archaeological terms.

Archaeological Institute of America – For anyone and everyone interested in a crash course in archaeology, an Introduction to Archaeology Glossary meant for students.

British Archaeological Jobs Resource – A glossary of common archaeological terms, 5 pages long and downloadable.

M3 Motorway – This website provides a short list of general terms and a long list of archaeological terms and their definitions, for your own personal use.

University of Manitoba – 19 pages of archaeological terminology. If you’re looking for a word, you’ll probably find it here. And you can even download the glossary and use it offline.

The Guardian – A beginner’s guide to archaeology: a couple of key concepts any newcomer needs to know.

Great Archaeology – If you’re looking for a reliable source of information on archaeological terminology, this is it. A comprehensive guide, invaluable for those who call themselves beginners in this field.

Archaeology Expert – A jargon buster glossary of archaeological terminology: an introductory list of expressions likely to be encountered in specialised articles or on dig sites.

Parks Canada – Not an exhaustive list of archaeological terms, but a glossary of the most common terms, including some abbreviations and acronyms.

Arrow Archaeology – Another glossary with a focus on archaeology, shorter than others, but it might be what you’re looking for.

ABC Klubben – If you are looking for definitions of particular underwater archaeology-related terms, then this is the place to be.

Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center – An awesome glossary of archaeological terms, equipped with photos to aid the definitions.

International committee for anthropogenic soils – 17 pages of underwater archaeology terminology. The best thing: it’s downloadable and it also has hypertext!

Washington State University – Abbreviations and acronyms will give you a headache, but with this glossary you’ll figure it out in no time. Terminology used in lithic analysis, 10 pages long and downloadable.

ISGAP 1 – Trying to translate a very technical text on archaeology? Here is a glossary of technical archaeological terms to help with the matter.

Archaeology Data Service – A handy list of acronyms from the Archaeology Data Service, or ADS.

ISGAP 2 – You are likely to come across these terms and abbreviations in the UK, but you could also encounter them anywhere else. Archaeological resources and projects, and their acronyms.

ISGAP 3 – This field of work has a lot of related organisations, often abbreviated. Here is a list of archaeology and heritage organisations and their acronyms.

Palomar College 1 – We love this glossary of cultural anthropology because it provides pronunciation for each term defined. Just click the button and hear it out loud!

Palomar College 2 – Also as awesome as the one above, but this one is with a focus on physical anthropology.

McGraw Hill – If you still couldn’t find your term, this cultural anthropology glossary might help.

Quizlet – Hear the word out loud and even the definition! A great resource for those with an interest.

Alan McFarlane – Ten pages of technical terms used by anthropologists, aimed at students.

Discover Anthropology – Shorter than others, a glossary of terms commonly used in anthropology.

McGraw Hill 1 – Very useful for those with an interest, a primate glossary with definitions and guides to pronunciation.

McGraw Hill 2 – Is biological anthropology giving you problems? Debug it with this glossary!

Academia – An anthro-linguistics glossary alphabetically organised and with a friendly ‘download’ button on the side.

Cultural Anthropology – A resource especially designed for students, a long list of terms relate to cultural anthropology.

University of Manitoba – A list of terms pertaining to Manitoba prehistoric archaeology.

Archi – This is a website with a special focus on Roman terms. You are bound to encounter them if you’re trying to translate related texts.

U.S. National Park Service – Managing archaeological collections is as important as archaeological discoveries themselves. Learn a few related terms in this specialised glossary.

Texas Beyond History – Some visual help accompanies the definitions on this website. Great!

About – Curious about archaeological investigations in a particular country? This is a list of archaeological investigations categorised by country.

Manor Lodge – Lots of definitions and cross-reference in this handy and useful glossary of archaeological terms.